1 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: This is the me Eater podcast coming at you shirtless, severely, 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:18,319 Speaker 1: bug bitten, and in my case, underwear listening podcast. You 3 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: can't predict anything. Brought to you by first Light. When 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: I'm hunting, I need gear that won't quit. First Light builds, 5 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: no compromise, gear that keeps me in the field longer, 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: no shortcuts, just gear that works. Check it out at 7 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: first light dot com. That's f I R S T 8 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: L I T E dot com. All right, man, We're 9 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: joined by ed O Keith, who's got a new book, 10 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: The Loves of Teddy Roosevelt. We're gonna get into Teddy 11 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: as a ladies man and a mama's boy. 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 2: God, that would have been a much better subtitle, Ladies Man, 13 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: Mama's Boy, instant bestseller. 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: No, the Loves of the Loves of Theodore Roosevelt, the 15 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: women who created a president. And so everybody knows Theodore 16 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: Roosevelt as the swash buckling you know, adventurer, which is 17 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: a little weird, like like you know, he went all 18 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: over hunting hundred in Africa, hunting across the West, became 19 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: a rancher, wrote a book about ranching. Like people know 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: him as this sort of like the most macho of presidents, 21 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: the manly mannist of presidents. Right, you know you think 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: of like you think of like President Trump growing up. 23 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: You know, he's got like gold stuff everywhere, and this 24 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: guy was kind of comfortable in a cabin at times. 25 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 1: But what you lose sight of. There's a couple things 26 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: you lose sight of with Roosevelt. One extraordinarily wealthy, Like 27 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: in today's world, him as an outdoorsman would be like 28 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: a rich kid that like goes to boarding school and 29 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: gets into Knowles, gets reel into like Knowles, and like 30 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: spends his summers in Alaska. Yep, do you know what 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: I mean That that's like the contempt. And then you know, 32 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: eventually he's like a fishing guide or something. But he 33 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: didn't really come off through like redneck stuff. 34 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, he doesn't depend on the guiding income. Yeah, it's 35 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:10,079 Speaker 3: just a lifestyle. 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: Yeah, And like that would have been Roosevelt, but he 37 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: did it so well. And because of his conservation record, 38 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: he's sort of held as this like rugged individualist, but 39 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: he has this very confusing background. And like one of 40 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: the things that we're going to talk about is this 41 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 1: is a guy not shaped by grizzled old hunting and 42 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,239 Speaker 1: fishing uncles that live out in a shack somewhere. He's 43 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: like shaped by women in his life and like huge 44 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: impactful relationships with his mother. So we're gonna dive into 45 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: that at ed O'Keefe. Edward O'Keefe, if you want to 46 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: be official, we're the first thing we're gonna talk about. 47 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: Soon as I do his introes, we're gonna talk about this. 48 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: So Edward O'Keefe is the CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: Presidential Library Foundation, So we're gonna kick off. I talk 50 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: about that because this is a big deal over in 51 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: North Dakota, the Presidential Library. Okeith recently previously spent two 52 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: decades in broadcasting digital media at ABC News, CNN, and 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: now This, during which time he received a Primetime Emmy 54 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: Award for his work with Anthony Bourdain to Webby Awards. 55 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: The Edward R. Murrow Award was that documentary about him No, 56 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: the movie good Night and Good Luck, Good Luck. George 57 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: Clooney had a play and a George Foster Peabody Award 58 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: for ABC's coverage of nine to eleven. So all that said, 59 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: if he bombs today on the show, it's not that 60 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: he didn't have the training in digital media to pull 61 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: off a podcast appearance. He should kill A former fellow 62 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: at the Harvard Kennedy School, he graduated with honors from 63 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: Georgetown University. All from all out of North. 64 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 2: Dakota, North Dakota, it's right, born and raised. 65 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: Born and raised in North Dakota, went on to do 66 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: all that. So currently lives in New York with his wife, daughter, 67 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: and son. All Right, tell us about the library. Well, 68 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: before we get into the book, let's talk about the libary. 69 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, great, I mean, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library 70 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: opens on July fourth, twenty twenty six, two hundred and 71 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: fiftieth anniversary of America. Was that just like a coincidence, 72 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 2: you know, I mean I started in this job October 73 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen, and but really yeah, yeah, And so it's 74 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: been a six year effort. We've raised almost four hundred 75 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: million dollars to get this baby constructed. Oh man, Yeah, 76 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 2: it's a it's gonna it's ninety three acres. It celebrates 77 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: Theodore Roosevelt's conservation legacy. So looking you know, he looked 78 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 2: one hundred years into the future, and conservation wasn't even 79 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: a concept, right, I mean it was an academic concept, 80 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: but no politician had paid attention. When tr proposed his 81 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: first conservation bill, the Speaker of the House literally said, 82 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: there will not be one dime for scenery. That was 83 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: that was the attitude. I'm sorry I heard that was 84 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 2: the response right, because I seen her. He was like, 85 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 2: what are you talking to? 86 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 1: Real? I feel like I have heard that. 87 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: That's one hundred per century. The Speaker of the House 88 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: when he proposed his conservation Mills said no way. I mean, 89 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 2: I didn't well, there wasn't a counter argument. It was 90 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 2: just that doesn't make any sense. What are you talking about? So, 91 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: I mean this, when he's talking about the creation of 92 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 2: the US Forest Service, when he's talking about national doubling 93 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,239 Speaker 2: the park's size, when he's putting two hundred and thirty 94 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: four million acres of land into the public trust, he 95 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: is not just ahead of his time, he's light years 96 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 2: ahead of his time. He's and so what we want 97 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 2: to do at the TR Library is, you know, work 98 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 2: with the local ranchers to graze the land. On the 99 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 2: ninety three acres. We have a walkable roof where you 100 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: can go thirty eight feet tall and look out at 101 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 2: the sixty five million years of geologic history and the 102 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 2: bad lands, and it's filled four hundred thousand native plants, 103 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: all from yeah, all from four miles around. We've been 104 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: working on it for years, uh, you know, working with 105 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 2: North Dakota State University to to bring those plants back, 106 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 2: bring bring the pollinators, bring the bees, bring the birds 107 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: back to this area, you know. And so you know, 108 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 2: we want families to come and to hike and to 109 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 2: bike and to horseback ride to the to the Presidential Library. 110 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 2: You know, it's really a place where we want kids 111 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: to drag their parents, I mean, to get out in 112 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: nature and do what tr did you know, to to 113 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 2: find nature as your classroom, to be together as a family, 114 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 2: to you know, celebrate the wondrous beauty of this national park, 115 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the only one named for a person, 116 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 2: let alone a president. You know, everyone else's names for 117 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 2: the library of the park. Stone's throw, I mean you could. 118 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 2: So there's two. There's a west wing and now the 119 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 2: only east wing. That for We thought that was going 120 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 2: to be a clever ode, but the only one now. 121 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: And it's a perfectly framed view of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, 122 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: so you can literally you can see the park from 123 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: US and US from the park seventy four thousand acres 124 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: of backyard to go. 125 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: Explore does that so it borders the park? 126 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: It does. It gets the largest private philanthropic project adjacent 127 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 2: to a National park in history. The previous was Saint 128 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: Louis arch So we're it's a big effort. You know, 129 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: it's North Dakota is not a huge state. We've got 130 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 2: people from all over the nation, all over the world 131 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 2: who've contributed. Because tr I like to say he's like 132 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 2: a Rorschach test. What you see in him says more 133 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 2: about you than it does about him. 134 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. 135 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 2: Right, And so Republicans, Democrats, Independents, people from all fifty states, 136 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: twelve different countries. You know, we've been really blessed to 137 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: have incredible support because of this person who's so universally 138 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 2: beloved for different reasons. 139 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: That's the thing I've mentioned a bunch of times is 140 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: in given talks, there's not a politician today that wouldn't 141 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: like to be favorably compared to Roosevelt. 142 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely, he's Josh Holly and Elizabeth Warren's favorite president. 143 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 2: Find me one other thing they agree on. I mean, 144 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 2: he's Barack Obama and Mitt Romney's favorite president. Is impossible 145 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: to find another thing that they agree on. And so 146 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: what we're doing at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Libraries, we 147 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 2: don't want to tell you which version of TR you 148 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 2: should love. We want you to get out in nature 149 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: with your family. I'll tell people what versions of Yeah, 150 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 2: you can, but you know I'm the head of a nonprofit, 151 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: so I can't. Inside. We have an immersive, almost theatrical experience. 152 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 2: I mean every chapter of TR's life is crazier than 153 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: the last. I mean if you if you wrote this 154 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 2: story and submitted it to an editor, they'd reject it. 155 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 2: Say like okay, all right, okay. I mean we can 156 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: charge up San Juan Hill and we can have the 157 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 2: adventure in the Elkhorn, But really we're going to go 158 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: to Africa and the Amazon. I mean, these are both 159 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: going to happen in the same life. It's just ridiculous, right, 160 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: So we want people, especially kids, to immerse themselves in 161 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: these stories. You know, when you're in Roosevelt's childhood, you 162 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: want to reach inside a tree if you dare, you 163 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: want to open a book and an extinct species of 164 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 2: bird will fly out and join a wall of wonder. 165 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 2: We want you to feel curious when you're when you're 166 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 2: doing these things. We want to feel courage. We want 167 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 2: you to feel the things that TR felt, so you 168 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 2: can get in the arena of your own life and 169 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: be the change you want to see in the world. 170 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: Because that's ultimately TR's message is that if you want 171 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: to be a part of a successful democracy, you have 172 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 2: to participate. You have to be in there, you have 173 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 2: to you have to fight for it. It's not just 174 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: going to happen. And whether that's being on the school 175 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 2: board or running for a local election. You don't have 176 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 2: to be President of the United States to make a difference, 177 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: but you do have to get involved. And that's the 178 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 2: ultimate message of the TR Library. 179 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,199 Speaker 1: How they did they find you to do this? As 180 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: you were North Dakota guy, it was crazy. How did 181 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: you go from media to doing that? 182 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 2: I'm still trying to figure that one out. So I 183 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 2: was twenty years in the media. As you mentioned, I 184 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 2: worked at ABC News. I worked with Tony Bourdain at CNN. Sadly, 185 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 2: after Tony died, the show ended and I went to 186 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 2: Harvard to basically try to figure things out, and I thought, 187 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 2: you know, I want to do the types of programs 188 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 2: that we did with Tony in streaming. You know, I 189 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 2: thought what was so powerful about working with Tony Bourdain 190 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 2: is that, you know, he could go to West Virginia 191 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 2: and have a conversation with people who are totally and 192 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: completely different than him, or he could go to Mumbai 193 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 2: and gather them around the table, have a meal and 194 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 2: a conversation and bring people together. I had more people 195 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 2: talk about what they learned about the world from watching 196 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 2: that Part's Unknown than practically anything else I did in media. 197 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,319 Speaker 2: So I was really curious, like, how can we take that? 198 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: You know. And at the time, in twenty nineteen, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Apple, 199 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 2: et cetera. You know, they said we're not going to 200 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 2: do any news, We're not going to do any live, 201 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 2: We're not gonna do any sports. Also said they're not 202 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 2: going to do any podcasts, They're not going to do 203 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 2: any right, not going to do short form video. Right, 204 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 2: They're doing all of it now in twenty twenty six, 205 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: but in twenty nineteen it was like, Nope, they're not 206 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: going to do that. So that's what I was at 207 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 2: Harvard to kind of explores, we built ale that studio. 208 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: We were never going to record, we were never going 209 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: to do podcasts. 210 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 2: Never right for both no videos? He said, no, that's strict. Yes, 211 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 2: well you you stuck to it, Stephen. That's what I 212 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 2: admire about you when you make a proclamation as you 213 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: stick to it. 214 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: So. 215 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I meet this group who's trying to raise 216 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 2: money for the tr Library. It's been an idea for 217 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 2: one hundred years since his death, and fits and starts 218 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 2: in New York and North Dakota and other various places, 219 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,439 Speaker 2: never succeeded. And you know, I'm from North Dakota. I'm 220 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 2: thinking about what to do with the rest of my 221 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 2: life and my professional career. And I was researching a 222 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: book which became The Loves of Theodore. 223 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: Okay, so I was worn like Chicken or the Egg 224 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: kind of deal. Yep, that's not the perfect anough but yeah, yeah, 225 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: I didn't know if if your book came out of 226 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: so you were already getting into tr Land. 227 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 2: Actually, when you grow up in North Dakota, you're just 228 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 2: in tr Land. Tr is your hero, right. I mean, 229 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 2: we we got Roger Marris, we got you know, we 230 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 2: have Lawrence Well, I mean, come on. We got to 231 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: give it out Phil Jackson. 232 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: We got Phil Jackson. 233 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, all right, there we go. 234 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: We tried to get him on the show, remember that. Yeah, Yes, 235 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: Nelix fished. 236 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 3: He lives up in White here part of the time. 237 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: I think if you're listening, Phil, yeah, he probably is. 238 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: He's been following me pretty closely for twenty five years. 239 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 2: So this is probably here. 240 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: My list right now. Yeah. 241 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 2: Probably mean he's like. 242 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: Well, that dude's doing it. 243 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 2: I'm doing now that Ed has done it. Yeah, I 244 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 2: Phil Jackson will do it too. Oh that would be great, 245 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: that would be I hope that happens for you. Yeah. 246 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 2: So yeah, so the book came before the library. I 247 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: mean I was in two very different mindsets. I'm in 248 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 2: the twenty first century, you know, looking at could we 249 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 2: do shows like Tony Bourdain and Parts Unknown in the 250 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 2: Streaming Universe? And I'm sneaking away to the Houghton Library, 251 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 2: where a big part of Theodore Roosevelt's collection is held, 252 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: and I'm exploring this story and I you know, I 253 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 2: know the tr that you all know right from Mount 254 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 2: Rushmore and this kind of chiseled, masculine, crazy, you know, 255 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 2: adventurer and two things can be true at the same 256 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: time that exists, right, that is him. But what I 257 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 2: found remarkable is I'm looking at all these letters and 258 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 2: every single decision that he ever makes, He's asking his 259 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 2: sisters or his mom or his wives for advice, and 260 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 2: I'm like, where is I didn't? Like, I didn't. He's 261 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 2: kind of this the quintessential self made man. I mean, 262 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 2: the person who has no doubts, who asks nobody else 263 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 2: for their opinion on anything. Yeah, not true. 264 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,719 Speaker 1: It's funny to think, like like Trump being like, I 265 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: don't know, Millenia, what do you think about Greenland? 266 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 2: I mean, who knows history will show us history? 267 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: I don't know. Maybe someday there will be a book. 268 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 2: Maybe Greenland really pissed her off, you know. 269 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe she plans that get them yep. 270 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So that's that's what that was. The origin is 271 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 2: I was thinking about what to do next. I'm researching 272 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 2: the book on Theodore Roosevelt, and I've got this these 273 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 2: roots in North Dakota and North Dakota stepped up by 274 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 2: offering a fifty million dollar endowment contingent on the foundation's 275 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: ability to raise one hundred million dollars by the end 276 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty which seemed like a daunting task, but 277 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: it got a lot harder when the pandemic. 278 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know so. 279 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: But I was like, oh, look is if they have 280 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 2: no money, no architect, no land, what a great prospect. 281 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: I think I'll dive in. My New York wife was 282 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: really happy with me. She really thought this was a 283 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 2: good career move. Yeah, she was so. 284 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: But you guys haven't it. You guys haven't moved. Do 285 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: you still have family North Dkota? 286 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 2: I do, Yeah, my cousin's, my brother, my uncle's Yeah, 287 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: my parents are there most of the year. Yep. 288 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: So do you rent a place there now so you 289 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: can be out for your work? 290 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 2: I mean, since it's a national prime, we like to 291 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 2: say it's a global project with your proud North Dakota roots. 292 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 2: I mean I'm everywhere all the time talking to people 293 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 2: about the project and doing a lot of fundraising. I mean, 294 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 2: four hundred million and five years, you got to talk 295 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 2: to a lot of people about what you're doing and 296 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 2: how you're doing. 297 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: It and all this is gonna. 298 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 2: July fourth, July fourth, twenty twenty six. So yeah, So 299 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: your question about was that intentional? I don't think. In 300 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen, we thought, oh, you know, what would be 301 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: a great day to open this point that time Randall 302 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: you know fund in construction. Yeah, yeah, exactly, Yeah, I 303 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 2: know at some point we said, hey, wait a second. 304 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 2: You know, if we can be a part of America's 305 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 2: two hundred and fifty is celebration, that will bring a 306 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 2: you know, national attention that we wouldn't otherwise get. But 307 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 2: also think about this, So Theodore Roosevelt was president at 308 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 2: the nation's one hundred and twenty fifth birthday. He is 309 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 2: exactly between the declaration of independence at zero and where 310 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 2: we are now at two hundred and fifty. So once again, 311 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 2: tr makes you think about where are we going to 312 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 2: be at America five hundred because right now the midway 313 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: point of that point in our distant future. And I 314 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 2: saw my. 315 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: Kids something similar. Man, I was telling them, like, if 316 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: the Earth's cross solidified four billion years ago and the 317 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: Sun's going to burn out in four billion years, like 318 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: it's just the Earth's in a midlife crisis. 319 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: This is halftime. 320 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: This is just this is like the crazy midlife crisis, 321 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: exactly exact kind of mess. The monks they couldn't really 322 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: conceptualize four billion years. So then there are they're like 323 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: expecting any second. Expect a second offered the son to go. 324 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,479 Speaker 2: Well, they can go on Facebook and find a lot 325 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 2: of people who believe the same. They're gonna have some 326 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 2: real good friends. 327 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good point, man, Like, yeah, he hit 328 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: the halfway point. He's the halfway And think about this, right, like, 329 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: I never thought about that. So much is eerily similar 330 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: to where we are now. Right, the economy is changing. 331 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,479 Speaker 2: You're going from an agrarian to an industrial society. They 332 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: think about men's worth. I mean, the value of a 333 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 2: man to a family was how much they could hunt, 334 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 2: how much they could gather, how much they could farm, 335 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 2: how much and right, and that suddenly comes well, how 336 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 2: much are you worth? How much are you making? You 337 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 2: have an industrial job? Right, You're moving from a rural 338 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 2: area to an urban area. Cities are developing. So immigration. 339 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 2: Immigration was a huge issue in TR's time, right, and 340 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 2: then it was Irish and Germans and Italians and Chinese, 341 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 2: and you know, it leads to one of the largest 342 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: crackdowns in immigration in US history right right after TR's time, 343 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 2: where he's a very welcoming presence and. 344 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: The Italians they'll never integrate they're always going to put 345 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: family in front of nation. 346 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, Irish need not apply, right, 347 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 2: I mean, this was a very This has happened many. 348 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: Times, the clan mentality of the Irish and technology. 349 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 2: Think about technology. I mean Theodre Roosevelt's born in eighteen 350 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 2: fifty eight. There's no electricity, there's no cars, there's no airplanes, 351 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 2: there's no submarines. He's the first president to travel abroad 352 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: while in office. He's the first president to send a 353 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 2: telegraph by why, He's the first president to use a 354 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 2: telephone in the White House, first president in a motorcade, 355 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 2: first president in an airplane, in a submarine, and on 356 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 2: and on and on and on the list goes. So 357 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 2: technology is uprooting the way people feel about life. They're 358 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 2: scared because it's moving so fast and changing so quickly. 359 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 2: What is this going to mean? And here's this person 360 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 2: who says, I'm embracing this, It's going to be okay. 361 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: And he's also one of the great naturalists of our time, 362 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 2: so he knows to get out of the car and 363 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:36,239 Speaker 2: get on horse and get out into nature and have 364 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 2: a tonic to all this technology that is changing everything 365 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 2: in every way. Of American life. So he I mean, 366 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 2: it's all happening again. History doesn't repeat. It rhymes. 367 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,919 Speaker 1: Totally off. So I want to get back into this, 368 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: but just it's just popping in my head. Where was 369 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: he at in his career when he got shot? 370 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 2: He was the X president. It was the bull It 371 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 2: was like the bull Moose era Bull Moose. Definitely. Yeah, 372 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 2: he's he's running against his his successor, Taft and Wilson. 373 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 2: He's an independent bull Moose progressive. 374 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: And that's when he got winged. 375 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 2: Yeh, not winged. I mean, have you ever seen like 376 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 2: we're gonna have that? Those pieces they've never been we 377 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 2: got so I've got so the only thing that saved 378 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 2: t R's life and he took a point blank shot 379 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 2: right in the chest, and it was he had a 380 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 2: double breasted suit. He had a speech about fifty pages long, 381 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 2: doubled over in his breast coat pocket. And then the 382 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 2: thing that really saved him, he had his eyeglass case 383 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 2: that was still reinforced. And that's the that's the one. 384 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: Seriously, yep, know about the eyeglass. I just thought he 385 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: had like a book or something. 386 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 2: No, No, it was all three items really combined to 387 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 2: save that had. 388 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: Been Lincoln because the Gettysburg address was so short. Dead 389 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 1: it punched right through it, through it. Right, that's why 390 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: you should write long as long. 391 00:20:59,160 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 2: That's right. 392 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: That's right. 393 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 2: So it's crazy. So we're reuniting these items for the 394 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 2: first time. They've never been on display together. 395 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you guys got the eyeglass case. 396 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 2: The eyeglass case, so the bullet who had the diameter 397 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 2: of the bullet hole going in the front part of 398 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 2: the case is very wide. I mean you're like, oh, 399 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 2: he's dead, and then it narrows. You could see how 400 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 2: much it narrows out the other side. It slowed it down. 401 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: I mean, had it gone through at the velocity that 402 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 2: it was intended at point blank range, he's dead? 403 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: Did you huh Randal, don't bullshit me. Did you know 404 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: about the eyeglass case. 405 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 2: I did. 406 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 3: I couldn't have described the hole to you, but well. 407 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 2: You got to come to Medor who had there. So 408 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 2: the National Park Service had the eyeglass case, another park 409 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 2: had the shirt. So it all got separated through the 410 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 2: years and the revolver the gun is gone. And by 411 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 2: the way, the assassin was stalking Theodore Roosevelt through several 412 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 2: different speeches and looking for the opportunity to shoot him 413 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 2: at point blank range. He had a dream, a vision 414 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 2: that William McKinley, the president who was assassinated that allowed 415 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 2: tr to ascend to the presidency, had spoken to him 416 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 2: and told him that he needed to prevent Theodore Roosevelt 417 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 2: from seeking a third term, that he was an illegitimate president, 418 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 2: and then he had to be killed. 419 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: Makes sense. 420 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 2: I mean, they recently read. 421 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: A dream. 422 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 2: He came to him, a dream. I mean, but think 423 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 2: about this too. Political violence, right, another thing that was 424 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 2: a hallmark of TR's time that we're experiencing again. I mean, 425 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 2: this is three presidents were assassinated in TR's while he's 426 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 2: coming up through the system, I mean, including his the McKinley, 427 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 2: who leads to him becoming the youngest president in history. 428 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 2: I mean, this was unfortunately routine. 429 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: You know, the dude that killed Lincoln shot Lincoln in 430 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: a theater, yep, and then went and hit out in 431 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: John Wilkes booth, went hitting the book depository. 432 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 2: Hear me out. Okay, all right, okay. 433 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: The dude that shot Lincoln shot him in a theater, 434 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: and I think they caught him in a book deposit 435 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: I'm not joking. Look at them. The guy that shot Kennedy. 436 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: The guy that shot Kennedy shot him from a book depository. 437 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: They caught him in the theater. 438 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 2: You know that Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy, and Kennedy's 439 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 2: secretary was named Lincoln. 440 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: Didn't know that. Bag me up. 441 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 2: Where's your computer? 442 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: Man? 443 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 2: I'm flying by. 444 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: Someone looked already knew about the glasses. Look up, where 445 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: did booth get caught? Barn I could be strong, but 446 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 1: check this out. When we were on we were just 447 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: on live tour, ye and we're doing a show in Dallas, 448 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: and none of us knew this, Like we had like 449 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: booked the venue. One of our guys, he's hanging around somehow, 450 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: he's going to get a cup of coffee or something. 451 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: Winds up out in front of the venue and he's 452 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: reading some sign and he comes bags like this is where? 453 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 2: This is? 454 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: Where Wald like we're in the building where. 455 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, And it's right next to a dispensary called Doobies. 456 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: Everything changes. Lincoln was a. 457 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 2: Big du right, Yeah, he was in the text. He 458 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,440 Speaker 2: shot him from the sixth floor of the Texas Book 459 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 2: Depository and again is caught at a theater. So that's 460 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 2: probably what you're right. 461 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 3: He was caught at the theater. 462 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 2: He was caught at a movie theater. 463 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: Ye, my tip it in the theater. 464 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 2: Oswald was caught in the theater. Lincoln was shot in 465 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: the theater. 466 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 1: And and if I'm not about where to catch booth. 467 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 2: And at the movie theater to a rural a farm 468 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 2: in rural North Virginia. 469 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, books. 470 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 2: Storing book I get where you're going. 471 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 1: I think I'm just wrong. 472 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 2: No, no, no, Lee, Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy from the 473 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 2: book deposit. It was was pretty close barn. 474 00:24:58,720 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 3: Well, things are stored there. 475 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 1: I think they were. They must have been having a 476 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 1: lot of book Just trust me, listeners, that full of books. 477 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 2: Maybe they started the fire with books they were getting. Yeah, 478 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 2: that's what I'm going to give you. That one depository 479 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 2: they thought about depositor. 480 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: Okay, we're on track. 481 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 2: There's a great book about that, by the way, Manhunt 482 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 2: James Swanson Twelve Day Manhunt. 483 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: Never read it. 484 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 2: By seeing it is I think it was turned into 485 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 2: a series. I don't know. 486 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 3: I remember I can visualize the burning of the barn. Yeah, 487 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 3: and the series on Garfields. Oh, that's amazing. 488 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 2: That's Candice Millard, who also read The River of Doubt, 489 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: which page for page that is, I mean that reads 490 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 2: like a novel. 491 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 1: And who was the hell Hound on his Trail? Was 492 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: the guy that was the King Assassin? Was that what 493 00:25:55,800 --> 00:26:00,360 Speaker 1: that books about? Yeah? Hell hound on his Trail or something? Yeah, 494 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: you're right either way. I want to get into our 495 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: body here tr. 496 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 2: Sickly kid, yeah, yeah, beyond real. 497 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: Sickly, Okay, get into it. This forms like his like 498 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: he has an intense relationship with his mom. 499 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 2: Yes, the very first words of the Loves of Theodore 500 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 2: Roosevelt are from the beginning, Theodore Roosevelt's survival was very 501 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: much in doubt. And I think this is the part 502 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,120 Speaker 2: that a lot of biographers miss. Is you, okay, he's 503 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 2: an asthmatic, sickly kid, but it led his mother to 504 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 2: be extraordinarily protective of him, to keep him from going outdoors. 505 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: It wasn't just the asthma and the smog and the 506 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 2: environmental devastation of New York in the eighteen sixties. It 507 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 2: was her really thinking that legitimately he could die if 508 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 2: he were exposed to too much. And so you know, 509 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 2: here's a. 510 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: One because of like a bygone thinking like the miasma 511 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:57,479 Speaker 1: or is that like legitimate thing? 512 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 2: It was legitimate thing. I mean he the doctors did 513 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 2: not think he would live beyond four or five years old. 514 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 2: I mean he he he from the beginning of his 515 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 2: life learned that you need to will yourself through physical 516 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 2: and emotional pain. And his mom, who's often derided as 517 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 2: having no influence over him, she is a charismatic Southerner, right, 518 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 2: She's from the Bullock family. She's the inspiration for Scarlett 519 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 2: O'Hara and Gone with the Wind. I mean she's a character. 520 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Ramball says, she dressed him up in little dresses. 521 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 2: I mean they did that in the age that was 522 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 2: Victorian She that was that, Yes, you would, you would, yes, 523 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: but that was not uncommon. 524 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 1: That's fair, It was not uncommon. He put it out 525 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: like it was on But no. 526 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 3: It's I mean I always thought it's it's this interesting. 527 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 3: He's not like growing up wearing buckskins and oh no, yeah, no, no, 528 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 3: no he is. You said it, Stephen. I mean he's 529 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 3: from the elite of the elite society. He's rich. 530 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 2: There's no reason for him to go into politics or 531 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 2: to go out into nature other than at the time 532 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 2: the doctors would give two different cures. For women, they 533 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,439 Speaker 2: would say, you need the rest cure, right, if you're 534 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 2: afflicted by something, go lie down in bed. For men, 535 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: they would say, you need the West cure. Go west, 536 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 2: go hunting, get out into nature, do something that will 537 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 2: revive your spirits. But as a child, I mean MIDI 538 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: his mother would literally massage his chest when he was 539 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 2: having as asthmatic attacks and blood would come out. I 540 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 2: mean that's all. 541 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: That's how often that bad? 542 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 2: That bad? I mean she he would have these recurring 543 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 2: he remembers her remembers as a child having recurring nightmares 544 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 2: where the devil would come in the middle of the 545 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 2: night and steal him away. And I mean and the 546 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 2: devil like. 547 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: He's like contemplating his own mortality. 548 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 2: And yes, yes, And even when he gets when he's 549 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 2: twenty years old, he goes to a doctor at Harvard 550 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: and the doctor says, you have you will not live 551 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: past sixty, And he doesn't. I mean, so he decides 552 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 2: at that moment in his life he is going to 553 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 2: live to the hilt. How old is he when dead sixty? 554 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 2: He had just turned sixty. Yeah, I was that young, right, 555 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 2: I mean it, you know, you hit me with all 556 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 2: kinds of te arnists that I didn't know about. That's 557 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: what I'm here for. 558 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: Sixty I never really like. Yeah, that young. 559 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's kind of crazy to think of all he 560 00:29:17,800 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: accomplished young, you know. 561 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it is like, what do you expect, dude? 562 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean right, yeah, long life. Yeah yeah, So 563 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 2: I mean Middy, Let's start with mom, because you always 564 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 2: have to start with mom. 565 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 1: Right. 566 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 2: She is a She's a Southerner, she grew up in Georgia. 567 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 2: She's willful, She's got this incredibly personality. Everybody she's a 568 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 2: great storyteller, right, so everybody knows that, like Middy is 569 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 2: the one who will entertain you. And she's got an 570 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 2: incredibly refined taste. She marries a New Yorker, and she 571 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 2: is in New York during the Civil War and brings 572 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 2: her mother and her sister up from Georgia to live 573 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 2: with the Roosevelts. So the Indo Roosevelt. 574 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: She's an abolitionist. 575 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 2: Oh no, no, no, she was a. She was a 576 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 2: She believed in the Confederacy should fly the Confederate flag. 577 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 2: She refused to have her husband fight for the Confederacy 578 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 2: because she feared he'd meet her brothers on the field 579 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 2: of battle. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she and she, I. 580 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: Mean she didn't want her brothers to do what. 581 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 2: So Middy Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt's mom and Eleanor Roosevelt's grandmother 582 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 2: was a Confederate through and through unreconstructed, but she so 583 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 2: she forbade her husband, Theodo Roosevelt's father from fighting for 584 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 2: the Union. Okay, all right, So instead what he did 585 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 2: he would meet her family exactly exactly, and so dastardly 586 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 2: were his were her brother's deeds that they were not 587 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: granted general amnesty after the Civil War? 588 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 3: Oh? 589 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: Really? 590 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, they lived the rest of their life in Europe, 591 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 2: in London and in Liverpool. 592 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: Forest Bedford types. 593 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. No, they were the ones that figured out 594 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 2: how to run the blockade so they would get supplies 595 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 2: because the South didn't have steel and didn't have some 596 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 2: of the things you'd need for munitions and creating rifles 597 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 2: and bullets, and so they were sneaking all of that 598 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 2: in very effectively from London to the South. And then 599 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 2: one of them was thought to have been part of 600 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 2: the financing of Lincoln's assassination. Really yes, so I mean 601 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 2: they weren't just Confederates, they were devout confederates. I mean 602 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 2: one of her brothers tombstones in Liverpool, says an American 603 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 2: by birth and Englishman by choice. Really yeah, yeah. 604 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: Did tr addressed that kind of stuff later in life? 605 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean you know this. He he was a 606 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 2: Northerner who had his identity in the East with a 607 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 2: Southern mother, who had this political identity in the West. 608 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 2: Because of his cowboy and ranching days. He was the 609 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 2: all America quintessential perfect candidate to kick open the door 610 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 2: of what would become the American Century because he had 611 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 2: something for everybody. 612 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 1: Right. However, he did his mom die? Then? 613 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 2: His mom died of the same day as his wife, 614 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 2: February fourteenth, eighteen eighty four. 615 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: So did she nineteen years after the Civil War? What 616 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: was her attitude at that point? 617 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 2: I mean she was, according to her son, an unreconstructed remain. Yeah, 618 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 2: that's your whole life, and think about it. So, I 619 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: mean again, I bring up her mother and her sister 620 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 2: both lived with the Roosevelts. So he's growing Theodore Roosevelt's 621 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 2: growing up in a house with one brother, two sisters, 622 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 2: his mother, his grandmother, and his aunt. He's got a 623 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 2: lot of feminine influences in the house, right, and his 624 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 2: dad is off with Lincoln often because he can't fight 625 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 2: for the Union. He's decided to lead an effort to 626 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 2: take part of soldier's earnings and convince them to send 627 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 2: them back to their families because they would get paid 628 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,719 Speaker 2: and they were the primary earners. They were away from 629 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 2: the house, and a lot of them would blow it 630 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 2: party with the movies and exactly because they could die 631 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 2: at any moment. But he was trying to convince him 632 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 2: send this back. So this is amazing. 633 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: I found what a complex scenario though, I was sort 634 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 1: of like put a finer point on what a complex 635 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 1: situation for Ti R's mother. Yeah, where she's got relatives 636 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: trying to violate the blockade yep, and then she's got 637 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: other close family members like running around involved at an 638 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: administrative level with running the Union war effort. 639 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 2: Theodore Roosevelt grew up in a house divided, in a 640 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 2: nation divided, and he learned from his parents that you 641 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 2: can disagree without being disagreeable. You can you can be 642 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 2: vitriolically opposed to one another, but you at heart need 643 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 2: to love one another and it's it's a message he'll 644 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 2: harry his whole life. He really does learn that you 645 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,959 Speaker 2: need to find a way to bring people together to 646 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 2: get the best political result that you want. He's not 647 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 2: a divisive figure in part because of his mother. I mean, 648 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,479 Speaker 2: when his father dies. So Theodre Roosevelt's father dies. When 649 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,399 Speaker 2: tr is a sophomore in college, he's only twenty years old. 650 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 2: He had cancer and they didn't know necessarily if it 651 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 2: was going to be deadly, and so Theodore Roosevelt didn't 652 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 2: make it home in time to say goodbye. 653 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:31,760 Speaker 1: What kind of cancer? 654 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 2: He had? Stomach cancer, and it was excruciating. His brother, Elliott, 655 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 2: which is a whole other, fascinating dynamic, right Elliot in 656 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 2: the competition that they had, Elliott is handsome and dashing 657 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:47,160 Speaker 2: and at first shows a lot more promise than Tr. 658 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,359 Speaker 2: And academically he's a fabulous hunter. I mean, Elliott is. 659 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 2: He's like a sharp shooter. There's stories of him shooting 660 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 2: elk from two hundred yards away without I mean, and 661 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 2: tr couldn't do this. I mean tr had terrible eyesight. 662 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 2: He had to practice, he had to work at it, 663 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 2: he had to fight his way through everything he ever 664 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 2: did and so all these family dynamics add up to 665 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 2: who he really is. And you know, Midy, his mom 666 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 2: teaches him two really important things. One how to tell 667 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,800 Speaker 2: stories and how to connect with people with empathy, big, big, 668 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,520 Speaker 2: big part of why he's successful as a politician. And 669 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 2: after his father dies, she sits him down, sits all 670 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 2: the kids down, and says, you need to live for 671 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 2: the living and not for the dead. If you do 672 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 2: not live a life of purpose, you will dishonor the 673 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 2: memory of your father. There it is, I mean, willing 674 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,399 Speaker 2: himself through physical and emotional pain and this great, big personality. 675 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,280 Speaker 2: Both of those things come from his mother. His father's 676 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 2: a great man, it can't be denied. But the fact 677 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 2: that he died at age twenty when Tiarra was twenty, 678 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 2: really gave this outsize importance to his father in theodo 679 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 2: Roosevelt's memory, because his whole life he was trying to, 680 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 2: you know, honor him and and be better than him 681 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 2: in many ways, fulfill the life that he didn't get to. 682 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 1: Live now when he was a kid. Part of if 683 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: you read about if you read about tr From as 684 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,920 Speaker 1: a conservationist, a big part of that narrative is that 685 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 1: he developed this fascination with wildlife as a kid, where 686 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: he's he kind of becomes a hobbyist, taxidermist. He's a naturalist. 687 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: He's engaged in study of wildlife. What like, to what 688 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: extent is that going on under you know, to what 689 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,160 Speaker 1: extent is that going on with the awareness of his 690 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:44,279 Speaker 1: mother and what does his mother's take on that? Is 691 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 1: she supportive of that or does that stuff bugger? 692 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 2: She's extraordinarily supportive of likes it. I mean, even though 693 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 2: she's a bit of a germophobe. She you know, he 694 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 2: stores mice in the refrigerator, and you know, he he's 695 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:03,480 Speaker 2: got Roosevelt Museum of Natural History in his room. This 696 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 2: is what we're doing at the tr Library. We're actually 697 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:12,960 Speaker 2: recreating his boyhood room, like his imagination, so taxidermy, you know, 698 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,319 Speaker 2: going to he does these. I've seen the collections at 699 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 2: the Smithsonian's extraordinary to see, you know, because he's really 700 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 2: a dedicated scientist, I mean conservationists then and now he's 701 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:29,400 Speaker 2: hunting in order to study them. To understand. He's always 702 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 2: creating a series. Right, so it's not just you get 703 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 2: this thing like he hunted so much, like its ridiculous 704 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,440 Speaker 2: amount or the volume of his hunting. He's doing it 705 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:41,400 Speaker 2: for scientific purposes, right, he needs one of each type 706 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: in order to see the variations in them. 707 00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:46,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, there was like he was like in an era 708 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:49,320 Speaker 1: of cataloging exactly. 709 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 2: And you could see that throughout his whole life. I 710 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 2: mean he's a very serious naturalist, even as a young child. 711 00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 2: You know, he's not just you know, he's not just hunting. 712 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 2: He's then doing the taxidermy, putting the scientific explanations is 713 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 2: another source of tension with he and his brother. His 714 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 2: brother would say, good lord, like, we're on the hunt. 715 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:10,839 Speaker 2: Can you just live? Could you just have some fun 716 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 2: Instead he you know, do catalog and the scientific names 717 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 2: and the variations of the species. And you know, he's 718 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,439 Speaker 2: a really I think but for meeting Alice Hathaway Lee, 719 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 2: he probably would have become a naturalist or a scientist. 720 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 2: I mean there were there were two reasons he didn't 721 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:32,360 Speaker 2: in college. One, natural sciences were shifting from the outdoors 722 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 2: into the laboratory and he didn't want to be in 723 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 2: a laboratory. He wanted to be out in nature. And 724 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,359 Speaker 2: two he met Alice Hathaway Lee. 725 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 1: Uh, did you have a lot of girlfriends? Like when 726 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: he's a kid, Did you have Do people have girlfriends? 727 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: He did not. 728 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 2: He did not because he was a geeky naturalist in 729 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 2: whose wake for meldehyde lingered. I mean, I mean, yeah, 730 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 2: he had a stench. He had. He was an oddball. 731 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 2: I mean the recollections of his college friends are pretty harsh. 732 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 2: I mean, his first biographers literally just ignored all that 733 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:11,239 Speaker 2: and kept it out of the record because they would 734 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:15,560 Speaker 2: call him eccentric, half crazy. I mean, he lived alone 735 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 2: in an apartment because who the hell would want to 736 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 2: live with him while he's got taxidermy and from elde 737 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 2: hyde and all these dangerous chemicals that you'd use at 738 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 2: the time. I mean, no, he did not have a 739 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,040 Speaker 2: lot of girlfriends up. 740 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:32,879 Speaker 3: Until up until he went to Harvard. That was his 741 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 3: first time in a classroom, right, I mean, he had 742 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 3: had private tutors up until then. Did he have as 743 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:41,320 Speaker 3: a kid, did he have much exposure to people outside 744 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 3: of his family that were his of his cohort or 745 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:48,279 Speaker 3: is his experience in Harvard's sort of his first. 746 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 2: It's a good question. I mean, because his uncles, his 747 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:59,080 Speaker 2: mom's brothers were overseas. They take these great trips to Europe, right, 748 00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 2: and to uh, you know, to Egypt. Yeah, he did 749 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,439 Speaker 2: some collecting and he did a lot of collecting there, 750 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:08,440 Speaker 2: and his father would give him rifles for his birthday 751 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 2: and for Christmas, and then they'd go on these I 752 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,960 Speaker 2: mean these long they were gone for a year, eighteen months, 753 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 2: and that was his first exposure to the larger world 754 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:22,880 Speaker 2: and certainly the natural world. He meets, he's got a 755 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 2: he's got this extraordinary relationship with Henry Davis may Not, 756 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 2: who would be considered sort of his best friend in 757 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 2: college and actually the namesake of mine not North Dakota. 758 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:39,480 Speaker 2: And they're they're constantly talking about like how to how 759 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:42,000 Speaker 2: to be a man, like how how to show your 760 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:47,080 Speaker 2: manliness and in this Victorian era, you know, and and 761 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,439 Speaker 2: they go out and they they they His first book, 762 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:54,440 Speaker 2: it's not really a book, is the Birds of the 763 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 2: aut around ACKs. So they spend the entire summer cataloging 764 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:00,000 Speaker 2: all the birds of the aut around ACKs and then 765 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:04,600 Speaker 2: publish a book of of their summer studies. I mean 766 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 2: not you know, it's not not exactly your normal activity 767 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:12,399 Speaker 2: for a wealthy defeat person of the time. 768 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:16,440 Speaker 1: Did did where did the primary what was the primary 769 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,720 Speaker 1: wealth on his father's side, or on his mother's side. 770 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 2: They were both wealthy, but the big bulk of it 771 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:23,080 Speaker 2: came from his father's side, So his father. 772 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:24,800 Speaker 1: So he was more loaded than his wife. 773 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:27,040 Speaker 2: Yeah he was. He was a partner in Roosevelt and Sons, 774 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,920 Speaker 2: but his real focus was philanthropy. He was the founder 775 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 2: of the American Museum in Natural History. He was the 776 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:34,480 Speaker 2: founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He founded the 777 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:38,359 Speaker 2: first orthopedic hospitals. Yeah, yeah, this is what he did. 778 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:46,919 Speaker 2: His his grandfather, Cornelius van Check Roosevelt was loaded man. Well, 779 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:49,400 Speaker 2: but this is the only one that my kids remember 780 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 2: because his initials are CVS. Like CVS the money came 781 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 2: from CVS. I'm like it, Yes it did, but not 782 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:00,319 Speaker 2: the CBS you're thinking of. That's not where he got 783 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: his money. He was one of the founding directors of 784 00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:09,720 Speaker 2: Chemical Bank, which then became Chase Manhattan. That became Chase. 785 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 2: That's JP Morgan Chase today. So the Roosevelt family fortune 786 00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:16,200 Speaker 2: still lives on in the form of JP Morgan Chase, 787 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,880 Speaker 2: with whom he had all kinds of battles and is 788 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:20,840 Speaker 2: another great story. 789 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 1: Okay, so get into the woman and he met. 790 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:29,480 Speaker 2: He's how old, So he's eighteen, and there's a really 791 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,680 Speaker 2: consequential year in Theodo Roosevelt's life eighteen seventy eight. February ninth, 792 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:37,040 Speaker 2: eighteen seventy eight. He's in his first year in college 793 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:41,320 Speaker 2: and his father dies someone unexpectedly. He doesn't make it 794 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:43,319 Speaker 2: home to say goodbye. He never forgives himself, and he 795 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:45,759 Speaker 2: never forgives his brother Elliot, for not telling him that 796 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:49,160 Speaker 2: dad was going downhill. Then he goes home. And to 797 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:51,520 Speaker 2: your earlier question about did he have any girlfriends, he 798 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,680 Speaker 2: had one that he was very close with, who was 799 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:59,359 Speaker 2: Edith Carrow, his childhood neighbor and his homeschooled playmate. So 800 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:02,240 Speaker 2: his mother brought Edith into the fold of the family 801 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,960 Speaker 2: and at she was three years younger, same age as 802 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:08,120 Speaker 2: his younger sister, and everyone thought they were going to 803 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:11,520 Speaker 2: get married. Everyone thought, inevitably, when Edith comes of age 804 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:14,320 Speaker 2: at seventeen, which in the Victorian times you were eligible 805 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:18,120 Speaker 2: to wed, they were going to get engaged. Her birthday 806 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:18,560 Speaker 2: comes around. 807 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 1: That wouldn't have been unusual in those days that you 808 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:22,960 Speaker 1: would marry someone you were brought up around. 809 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,440 Speaker 2: Now be very common, very common expected, right. 810 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:27,960 Speaker 1: Because there was like family connections. 811 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, but Edith came from a family whose fortunes were 812 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:37,000 Speaker 2: falling and the Roosevelts were incredibly rising, so there was 813 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:41,160 Speaker 2: some tension. And Edith's father was an alcoholic who lost 814 00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:45,200 Speaker 2: control of the family business. She was a real independent, 815 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,680 Speaker 2: tough minded, you know, not going to suffer fools, gladly woman. 816 00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:54,560 Speaker 2: And so August twenty second, eighteen seventy eight comes and 817 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 2: they go for they go out picking water lilies, they 818 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:00,800 Speaker 2: go for a rowboat ride Oyster Bay, and so happens. 819 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:05,040 Speaker 2: They have an explosive fight and break up, and they 820 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:07,600 Speaker 2: never tell anybody what happened. They only talk about it 821 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:09,160 Speaker 2: twice the rest of their lives. 822 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:10,640 Speaker 1: I think you have to put the moves on her. 823 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:14,479 Speaker 2: Could be we need the Netflix adaptation of the Loves 824 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:17,840 Speaker 2: of Theodore Roosevelt to really speculate here, to out to 825 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:20,680 Speaker 2: find out what happened on August twenty second, eighteen seventy 826 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:24,040 Speaker 2: He loses his father, he breaks up with his girlfriend, 827 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:26,680 Speaker 2: and then he goes back to college. It's his sophomore year, 828 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:29,880 Speaker 2: and he meets Alice Hathway Lee and Alice. 829 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:30,839 Speaker 1: And him and Edith are just done down. 830 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:34,200 Speaker 2: He's like, who's Edith, Where's Edith? Like gone Like. He 831 00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:37,960 Speaker 2: meets Alice. He goes on a mad two year pursuit. 832 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:42,160 Speaker 2: I mean, imagine being the object of Theodore Roosevelt's affections, 833 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:45,520 Speaker 2: and he determines, I'm gonna marry you. Like that's what 834 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:48,040 Speaker 2: it was. For two years. He gets a horse and 835 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:50,480 Speaker 2: he puts a horse in the stable. He rides the 836 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:54,320 Speaker 2: horse so often he lames the horse because it's twelve 837 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:57,400 Speaker 2: miles to her home at Chestnut Hill from Cambridge. He 838 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:59,960 Speaker 2: gets a horse and buggy. Once he lames the other 839 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:02,239 Speaker 2: her original horse, so he can go there. Once he 840 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:05,800 Speaker 2: breaks the buggy, he walks. He walks over fifty times, 841 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:09,080 Speaker 2: twelve miles round trip to her house to see Alice. 842 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:13,799 Speaker 2: He is he's so. He thinks that a fellow classmate, 843 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:16,279 Speaker 2: Charlie Ware, is trying to make the moves on her, 844 00:45:16,719 --> 00:45:19,239 Speaker 2: so he challenges him to a duel and calls for 845 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:20,440 Speaker 2: French dueling pistols. 846 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:24,160 Speaker 1: Really, he yes, I want. 847 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:27,120 Speaker 2: To see Theeah. 848 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:31,520 Speaker 1: He was showing up. Yeah for sure, dude, I got 849 00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:33,840 Speaker 1: I want to see the comedian Joey Diaz and uh 850 00:45:34,520 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 1: years ago he was talking about how kids got it 851 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,200 Speaker 1: so easy now, like dating is so easy now with 852 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:41,680 Speaker 1: phones He's like, when I was a kid, if you 853 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:43,800 Speaker 1: wanted to get your get your you know, get a 854 00:45:43,800 --> 00:45:45,400 Speaker 1: hold of your girlfriend, you had to sneak under a 855 00:45:45,440 --> 00:45:46,799 Speaker 1: window and throw gravel at him. 856 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:51,680 Speaker 2: That's right. Yeah, Theodore Roosevelt had to walk twelve miles 857 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:55,400 Speaker 2: round trip to see his girlfriend. So she finally relents. 858 00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:57,680 Speaker 1: She agreed she was being resistant at for her. 859 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:01,239 Speaker 2: She's the most eligible bachelorette in all of Boston. I mean, 860 00:46:01,239 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 2: to set the stage right, she comes from the Lee 861 00:46:03,320 --> 00:46:06,600 Speaker 2: and Saltanstall family. There's this old Boston toast, and this 862 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:08,680 Speaker 2: is good old Boston, the home of the bean and 863 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,000 Speaker 2: the cod, where the lulls talk only to the cabots 864 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:15,640 Speaker 2: and the cabots talk only to God. She's a cabot, right, 865 00:46:15,719 --> 00:46:19,920 Speaker 2: So like the geeky naturalist in whose way form meldehydelingers 866 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:24,879 Speaker 2: going for the most eligible bachelorette in Boston, no way, 867 00:46:25,320 --> 00:46:27,920 Speaker 2: like not gonna happen. And she really, I mean, she 868 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:29,920 Speaker 2: puts him off for two years. 869 00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:31,799 Speaker 1: And her family probably has a big saying this too. 870 00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:35,080 Speaker 2: That's where the sisters come in. That's where her TR's 871 00:46:35,080 --> 00:46:38,160 Speaker 2: mom comes in. He decides, I'm not gonna win her 872 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:41,279 Speaker 2: unless she falls in love with my family. They have 873 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:44,200 Speaker 2: to find they have to see that the Roosevelts are 874 00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:48,440 Speaker 2: pretty awesome. So he brings his sisters and his mom 875 00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:51,600 Speaker 2: out to Cambridge, throws a party. They all love each other. 876 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,400 Speaker 2: Then they invite the Lees back to New York. And 877 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:57,720 Speaker 2: again that's where it turns. She I think that Alice 878 00:46:57,719 --> 00:47:00,799 Speaker 2: Hathaway Lee fell in love with his sisters and his 879 00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:02,920 Speaker 2: mom as much as he did tr the idea of 880 00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:06,960 Speaker 2: being a part of this incredible family. And she's a spitfire. 881 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:09,800 Speaker 2: I mean, Alice is almost the same height as him, 882 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:13,920 Speaker 2: very athletic, loves to hike, loves to play tennis, you know, 883 00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:16,640 Speaker 2: like imagining what his life would have been like. And 884 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:19,720 Speaker 2: in the four years that they're together six years total, 885 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:23,239 Speaker 2: he writes his first major book, The Naval History of 886 00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:25,759 Speaker 2: the War of eighteen twelve. He's elected to his first 887 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:29,439 Speaker 2: public office. He goes to but quits Columbia Law school. 888 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 2: If you've ever quit law school, you have something in 889 00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:35,080 Speaker 2: common with tr He too, did not finish like he 890 00:47:35,239 --> 00:47:37,799 Speaker 2: in his own words, he rose like a rocket, you know. 891 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:41,600 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of historical speculation about what he 892 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:45,160 Speaker 2: ever been president had his first wife lived and I 893 00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:48,279 Speaker 2: think unquestionably. So here's here's a stunning one. 894 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:50,520 Speaker 1: Right, Well, I don't get that. I don't get what 895 00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:51,000 Speaker 1: you're saying. 896 00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 2: Well, because she was written off in history as inconsequential 897 00:47:56,280 --> 00:47:59,640 Speaker 2: that the best thing she ever did for tr was die. 898 00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:03,840 Speaker 2: That's really literally been written like that, like she was 899 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:07,480 Speaker 2: sort of from the elite society. She wouldn't have you know, 900 00:48:07,680 --> 00:48:09,879 Speaker 2: would he have ever gone west? I mean, there's all 901 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:13,600 Speaker 2: kinds of counterfactuals about what. 902 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:18,960 Speaker 1: He would have settled into this like patrician, right, right, 903 00:48:18,960 --> 00:48:22,279 Speaker 1: which doesn't it's not a rowboats all time. So I 904 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:27,080 Speaker 1: mean two facts they do. Yeah, so they are. 905 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:29,480 Speaker 2: She's expecting their first child when he first comes out 906 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:32,600 Speaker 2: to the Dakota Badlands. I mean that's that's basically his 907 00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:36,720 Speaker 2: trip before the baby's born. And that's when he invests 908 00:48:36,880 --> 00:48:41,279 Speaker 2: fourteen thousand dollars half of his inheritance in cattle. He 909 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:44,080 Speaker 2: never owns land because it's open range, but he invests 910 00:48:44,239 --> 00:48:46,480 Speaker 2: a huge amount of money in cattle. 911 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:49,400 Speaker 1: And then how's that giant? How's that lining up with 912 00:48:49,640 --> 00:48:52,480 Speaker 1: the idea that if she hadn't died, he wouldn't have 913 00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:53,600 Speaker 1: gotten into all this stuff. 914 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:56,080 Speaker 2: It doesn't, but that is a new take that The 915 00:48:56,360 --> 00:48:59,040 Speaker 2: Loves of Theodore Roosevelt is the first book that really 916 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:04,160 Speaker 2: says Alice Athaway, Lee made tr part of who he is, 917 00:49:04,719 --> 00:49:07,600 Speaker 2: and you have to in order to appreciate later off. 918 00:49:07,840 --> 00:49:10,960 Speaker 1: Yes, or she's been generally written off historically. 919 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:14,520 Speaker 2: Yes, very written off. Yes, like didn't matter speed bump 920 00:49:14,560 --> 00:49:17,719 Speaker 2: on the on the road to his inevitable success. I 921 00:49:17,760 --> 00:49:23,279 Speaker 2: think losing her played an incredible role in him understanding 922 00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:28,000 Speaker 2: the fragility of life. That you know, I'm I'm rich, 923 00:49:28,640 --> 00:49:31,960 Speaker 2: and I've been elected to the New York State Assembly, 924 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:37,400 Speaker 2: and yet you know, my father, my mother, and my 925 00:49:37,480 --> 00:49:41,279 Speaker 2: wife have all died in six years. I that is 926 00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:45,439 Speaker 2: the moment it turns. He's twenty five years old and 927 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:49,759 Speaker 2: all of a sudden he has a life wish. He 928 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:53,240 Speaker 2: starts doing things that you might think are. 929 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:58,680 Speaker 1: Crazy or yeah, I gotta have you back up. Yeah. 930 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:00,520 Speaker 1: At this point in his life, he's a already done 931 00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:03,040 Speaker 1: all that like Maine stuff, right, yep, Like hunting in 932 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:03,839 Speaker 1: Maine all the time. 933 00:50:03,960 --> 00:50:06,560 Speaker 2: Yep. So when he when. 934 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:10,480 Speaker 1: He gets he gets married to Lee, and during that 935 00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:14,840 Speaker 1: marriage he does his big trip out to North Dakota. 936 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:19,160 Speaker 1: Correct shoots the first buffalo he shoots. Correct, invests in cattle. Yes, 937 00:50:19,239 --> 00:50:23,440 Speaker 1: as like an absentee cattleman. Yes, right, yep, okay, and 938 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:26,239 Speaker 1: then but line all that up with her death and 939 00:50:26,719 --> 00:50:28,120 Speaker 1: explain how So comes to die. 940 00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:30,200 Speaker 2: Okay, So this is this is an important part of 941 00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:32,239 Speaker 2: the story. I'm glad you asked us to back up. 942 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:37,480 Speaker 2: So he got engaged on February fourteenth, eighteen eighty, Valentine's Day. 943 00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:42,000 Speaker 2: They announced it to the world. Four years later, they're 944 00:50:42,000 --> 00:50:45,920 Speaker 2: expecting their first child, and Theodore was a he was 945 00:50:45,960 --> 00:50:49,160 Speaker 2: into numerology and things. He's a bit of a super 946 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:53,680 Speaker 2: he was superstitious, and he so he believed that the 947 00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:55,880 Speaker 2: baby was going to be born on the anniversary of 948 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:59,520 Speaker 2: their engagement, February fourteenth, Valentine's Day. So he goes back 949 00:50:59,560 --> 00:51:01,680 Speaker 2: to all but where he's a New York State assemblyman 950 00:51:01,719 --> 00:51:05,480 Speaker 2: on February eleventh, and he gets a telegram on February 951 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:08,800 Speaker 2: twelfth the next day saying the baby has been born 952 00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:11,839 Speaker 2: and Alice is only fairly well, but it's too late 953 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:14,200 Speaker 2: for him to go, so he makes arrangements to leave 954 00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:18,279 Speaker 2: Albany and return to New York on February thirteenth. He 955 00:51:18,320 --> 00:51:22,360 Speaker 2: gets a second telegram on February thirteenth. We don't know 956 00:51:22,360 --> 00:51:26,280 Speaker 2: what the telegram said, but his face goes ashen white, 957 00:51:26,680 --> 00:51:29,640 Speaker 2: and he drops the telegram and literally runs from the 958 00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:33,360 Speaker 2: New York State Assembly to the train station in Albany. 959 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:35,360 Speaker 2: Normally this trip would take two to two and a 960 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:39,120 Speaker 2: half hours. There's a thick, dense fog that is descended 961 00:51:39,200 --> 00:51:41,839 Speaker 2: over New York City, so thick that you cannot get 962 00:51:41,840 --> 00:51:45,320 Speaker 2: a handsome cab from Grand Central Station. It took five 963 00:51:45,440 --> 00:51:48,560 Speaker 2: and a half hours for him to take the trip 964 00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:50,840 Speaker 2: from Albany to New York, all the while not knowing 965 00:51:51,280 --> 00:51:54,920 Speaker 2: what awaits him on the other side. He walks the 966 00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:59,480 Speaker 2: fifteen blocks through this fog to six West fifty seventh Street, 967 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:02,680 Speaker 2: where he told there is a curse on this house. 968 00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:06,920 Speaker 2: Mother is dying and Alice is dying too. He runs 969 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:09,760 Speaker 2: up to the third floor. He holds Alice, his wife, 970 00:52:09,880 --> 00:52:13,399 Speaker 2: in his arms, until one thirty in the morning, when 971 00:52:13,440 --> 00:52:16,000 Speaker 2: he's called to the second floor. His whole family is 972 00:52:16,040 --> 00:52:20,319 Speaker 2: there and his mother Midi dies of typhoid fever. He 973 00:52:20,360 --> 00:52:23,279 Speaker 2: goes back up to the third floor, holds Alice in 974 00:52:23,360 --> 00:52:27,000 Speaker 2: his arms for eleven straight hours until two thirty in 975 00:52:27,040 --> 00:52:30,759 Speaker 2: the afternoon. On Valentine's Day, when she too dies of 976 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:34,600 Speaker 2: Bright's disease, a kidney disorder that was exacerbated by the childbirth, 977 00:52:35,040 --> 00:52:39,680 Speaker 2: he is devastated. He writes an x in his diary 978 00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:42,920 Speaker 2: and says, the light has gone out of my life. 979 00:52:43,000 --> 00:52:46,040 Speaker 2: And the next day he makes plans to not run 980 00:52:46,080 --> 00:52:49,280 Speaker 2: for reelection and to head out to the bad lands 981 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:53,000 Speaker 2: of North Dakota, where he says to his family, I'm 982 00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:55,400 Speaker 2: going to I'm going to the bad lands. What I 983 00:52:55,440 --> 00:52:56,840 Speaker 2: shall do after that, I do not know. 984 00:52:57,120 --> 00:52:58,520 Speaker 1: And what kid was that? 985 00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:01,879 Speaker 2: That was Alice. They named her after the month. So 986 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:04,160 Speaker 2: she's the first born and the last to die. She 987 00:53:04,200 --> 00:53:06,360 Speaker 2: was born in eighteen eighty four dies in nineteen eighty 988 00:53:06,760 --> 00:53:10,280 Speaker 2: and she was left in the care of his older sister, Bammy. 989 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:14,160 Speaker 2: So this is where Bami comes in. Bammy, his older sister, 990 00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:18,920 Speaker 2: is like the political Svengali. She's the one who she 991 00:53:19,120 --> 00:53:22,120 Speaker 2: takes care of the baby for almost three years while 992 00:53:22,120 --> 00:53:25,680 Speaker 2: he's in North Dakota. She's the one that reunites him 993 00:53:25,880 --> 00:53:28,880 Speaker 2: with Edith and ensures he'll get married again. She's the 994 00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:31,600 Speaker 2: one who sells the home at sixth West fifty seventh Street. 995 00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:36,120 Speaker 2: She oversees the construction of Sagamore Hill. It's Bammy that 996 00:53:36,680 --> 00:53:39,160 Speaker 2: arranges for him to have a role in the Harrison 997 00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:43,359 Speaker 2: administration as Civil Service Commissioner. Bammy says, you know, maybe 998 00:53:43,400 --> 00:53:44,600 Speaker 2: it would be a good idea to come back to 999 00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:47,360 Speaker 2: New York and be New York Police Commissioner. Bamy sets 1000 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:51,000 Speaker 2: up the meeting that leads to him becoming Assistant Secretary 1001 00:53:51,040 --> 00:53:51,520 Speaker 2: of the Navy. 1002 00:53:51,719 --> 00:53:55,000 Speaker 1: I mean it's like in those days, a woman wasn't 1003 00:53:55,000 --> 00:53:57,359 Speaker 1: going to do those roles correct and you had like 1004 00:53:57,560 --> 00:54:00,480 Speaker 1: be like, she's like fronting a guy, yes, because I 1005 00:54:00,520 --> 00:54:00,960 Speaker 1: can't do it. 1006 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:01,520 Speaker 2: She put it all. 1007 00:54:01,560 --> 00:54:02,480 Speaker 1: I would never be able to do. 1008 00:54:02,440 --> 00:54:05,440 Speaker 2: It all her, all her energy. So think of this. 1009 00:54:05,560 --> 00:54:10,320 Speaker 2: Eleanor Roosevelt said of Theodore Roosevelt's two sisters, Bammy and Connie, 1010 00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:14,200 Speaker 2: if you wanted advice, you went to Bammy. If you 1011 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:18,239 Speaker 2: wanted sympathy, you went to Connie. Because they were very 1012 00:54:18,239 --> 00:54:21,279 Speaker 2: personality is very, very different. Bammy was the one who, 1013 00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:24,320 Speaker 2: like she saw the political chess board. I mean t 1014 00:54:24,560 --> 00:54:30,360 Speaker 2: R was impetuous, emotional, very intelligent, but he could make missteps. 1015 00:54:30,560 --> 00:54:33,080 Speaker 2: You know, he could kiss people off. Bamy was the 1016 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:34,759 Speaker 2: one who's like, hey, you know who you need to 1017 00:54:34,760 --> 00:54:37,000 Speaker 2: talk to is this person or that person, or this 1018 00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:39,600 Speaker 2: is the job you need to go into next. She's 1019 00:54:39,640 --> 00:54:43,120 Speaker 2: the strategist, you know, she's the one convincing him. She's 1020 00:54:43,160 --> 00:54:45,680 Speaker 2: convincing the McKinley campaign that he's not a hothead. I mean, 1021 00:54:45,719 --> 00:54:47,600 Speaker 2: they don't want to put him into the role of 1022 00:54:47,640 --> 00:54:52,560 Speaker 2: assistant secretary because of what exactly what happened that as 1023 00:54:52,600 --> 00:54:54,960 Speaker 2: soon as you know that war came, he left and 1024 00:54:55,000 --> 00:54:57,719 Speaker 2: became the hero of the war, you know. I mean, 1025 00:54:57,880 --> 00:55:01,640 Speaker 2: when he's governor of New York, his sister Connie holds 1026 00:55:01,680 --> 00:55:05,799 Speaker 2: these breakfasts and they invite the political bosses in and 1027 00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:08,480 Speaker 2: they they've arranged this in advance, and at some point 1028 00:55:08,560 --> 00:55:09,960 Speaker 2: the boss is going to say, all right, and everyone 1029 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:11,920 Speaker 2: get out. I want my time with the governor. And 1030 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:14,879 Speaker 2: they said, well, certainly, my sister can stay. I mean, 1031 00:55:14,880 --> 00:55:16,920 Speaker 2: she she is but a woman, and she takes such 1032 00:55:16,920 --> 00:55:19,759 Speaker 2: an interest in my affairs. And so Connie would knit 1033 00:55:19,960 --> 00:55:23,520 Speaker 2: in the corner, listen to everything that they were talking about. 1034 00:55:23,640 --> 00:55:26,759 Speaker 2: And when they left, tr had somebody'd heard everything and 1035 00:55:26,800 --> 00:55:30,640 Speaker 2: he could talk it all through its move exactly. I mean, 1036 00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:33,840 Speaker 2: so involved was Connie in his governorship that Theodore Roosevelt 1037 00:55:33,840 --> 00:55:37,240 Speaker 2: said to his sister, haven't we had fun being governor 1038 00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:40,600 Speaker 2: of New York? Hmm, man, it's crazy. 1039 00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:46,160 Speaker 3: This is something that's always I mean, it's really this 1040 00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:49,920 Speaker 3: is fascinating because I've always had this curiosity about he's 1041 00:55:50,000 --> 00:55:54,080 Speaker 3: such a headstrong individual and I don't really there's so 1042 00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:56,400 Speaker 3: many aspects of his life where you think this guy's 1043 00:55:56,440 --> 00:55:58,600 Speaker 3: not really thinking beyond what's in front of his face, 1044 00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:01,560 Speaker 3: and he's just like, yeah, yeah, paunching at that whatever 1045 00:56:01,680 --> 00:56:04,080 Speaker 3: is in front of his face. But then this chapter 1046 00:56:04,120 --> 00:56:06,839 Speaker 3: of his life where he rises to the presidency, it's 1047 00:56:06,880 --> 00:56:10,480 Speaker 3: like he he checks all these boxes and rises, you know, 1048 00:56:10,880 --> 00:56:13,560 Speaker 3: like it's it's it seems like a very different mindset 1049 00:56:13,640 --> 00:56:16,200 Speaker 3: is guiding him at that moment, as opposed to the 1050 00:56:16,200 --> 00:56:19,160 Speaker 3: guy who just goes out west to forget about. 1051 00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:22,960 Speaker 2: Randall that the secret sauce is daily and counting. It's 1052 00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:26,319 Speaker 2: his sisters behind the scene saying, hold on, now, now 1053 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:27,839 Speaker 2: you got to be here, Now you got to be there, 1054 00:56:27,880 --> 00:56:29,200 Speaker 2: Now you got to do this, Now you got to 1055 00:56:29,200 --> 00:56:31,520 Speaker 2: do that, and they support him, and Edith comes back 1056 00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:34,120 Speaker 2: into the picture, so the girlfriend that he broke up 1057 00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:36,800 Speaker 2: with on August twenty second of eighteen seventy eight. 1058 00:56:36,800 --> 00:56:37,960 Speaker 1: After putting the moves on her. 1059 00:56:38,080 --> 00:56:39,440 Speaker 2: Probably we don't know. 1060 00:56:41,160 --> 00:56:42,759 Speaker 3: He no longer smells like formaldehyde. 1061 00:56:42,840 --> 00:56:46,879 Speaker 2: He's yeah, by the way, just because I think you're 1062 00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:49,200 Speaker 2: and your audience will appreciate this. When he marries Alice, 1063 00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:51,200 Speaker 2: the one thing he's not going to be as a naturalist. 1064 00:56:51,239 --> 00:56:53,319 Speaker 2: I mean, she didn't mind that he went hunting and 1065 00:56:53,480 --> 00:56:55,960 Speaker 2: was outdoors. She would go hiking and such with him. 1066 00:56:56,360 --> 00:57:00,200 Speaker 2: But that's when he donates all of his childhood specimens 1067 00:57:00,239 --> 00:57:05,040 Speaker 2: to the Really, yeah, he says, she's so. I can 1068 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:08,279 Speaker 2: only I can only imagine the conversation be like, hey, 1069 00:57:08,520 --> 00:57:10,760 Speaker 2: you know what's not coming with us to the new house. 1070 00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:17,760 Speaker 2: Do all all the taxidermy's gotta go? But the bison. Interestingly, 1071 00:57:18,280 --> 00:57:21,880 Speaker 2: there's only three photographs of six West fifty seventh Street, 1072 00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:25,360 Speaker 2: which was technically his mother, mother and father's home, but 1073 00:57:25,400 --> 00:57:28,000 Speaker 2: he lived there for a while and that's where the 1074 00:57:28,000 --> 00:57:30,680 Speaker 2: bison ended up. It was you can see it clear 1075 00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:33,360 Speaker 2: as day that that's the bison that he shot in 1076 00:57:33,400 --> 00:57:37,040 Speaker 2: North Dakota, and then it some at some point moves 1077 00:57:37,040 --> 00:57:40,320 Speaker 2: to Sagamore Hill. Had to be bammy. I mean it's 1078 00:57:40,360 --> 00:57:42,160 Speaker 2: in Sagamore Hill to this day. 1079 00:57:42,240 --> 00:57:44,360 Speaker 1: You guys can't get your hands on that one. 1080 00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:47,840 Speaker 2: I you know, I feel like it. Maybe we could 1081 00:57:47,840 --> 00:57:49,240 Speaker 2: for a bit. It would be nice to bring it 1082 00:57:49,280 --> 00:57:51,760 Speaker 2: back home for a for a bit, but. 1083 00:57:51,880 --> 00:57:53,680 Speaker 1: It's such a who's the owner of it? 1084 00:57:53,960 --> 00:57:58,040 Speaker 2: The National Park Service. Yeah, so, short version of a 1085 00:57:58,080 --> 00:58:03,280 Speaker 2: long story. Edith out lives tr by thirty years. Several 1086 00:58:03,320 --> 00:58:05,960 Speaker 2: of her kids have died in World War One in 1087 00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:08,760 Speaker 2: World War Two, and Kermit is dead by that point, 1088 00:58:08,880 --> 00:58:12,000 Speaker 2: so there's only two three if you include Alice or 1089 00:58:12,040 --> 00:58:14,840 Speaker 2: step daughter, and so they convince her. 1090 00:58:14,760 --> 00:58:16,640 Speaker 1: To one dies in the war and then later one 1091 00:58:16,720 --> 00:58:17,400 Speaker 1: kills himself. 1092 00:58:17,600 --> 00:58:19,360 Speaker 2: Yep, Theodore is the only. 1093 00:58:19,280 --> 00:58:21,160 Speaker 1: President I'm talking about tr kids. Yeah. 1094 00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:23,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's the only president to have a son or 1095 00:58:23,120 --> 00:58:25,960 Speaker 2: daughter die in combat. Only president to have a son 1096 00:58:26,000 --> 00:58:28,440 Speaker 2: or daughter die in World War One and World War Two, 1097 00:58:28,680 --> 00:58:32,040 Speaker 2: only one of two fathers and sons to be awarded 1098 00:58:32,040 --> 00:58:34,680 Speaker 2: the Medal of Honor. I mean his like, the record 1099 00:58:34,680 --> 00:58:38,440 Speaker 2: of service and sacrifice in this family is off the charts. 1100 00:58:38,480 --> 00:58:40,560 Speaker 2: And they all did it. Ethel was a part of 1101 00:58:40,600 --> 00:58:43,680 Speaker 2: the American Red Cross. I mean the boys all fought, 1102 00:58:43,800 --> 00:58:47,080 Speaker 2: but the I mean the girls were involved too. Anyway, 1103 00:58:47,160 --> 00:58:49,560 Speaker 2: So they convince Mom Edith were. 1104 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:51,280 Speaker 1: A long way from that kind of stuff nowadays. 1105 00:58:51,440 --> 00:58:54,080 Speaker 2: I mean, well, and the no blessed oblige, they had 1106 00:58:54,160 --> 00:58:57,919 Speaker 2: an obligation to fight, they actually felt. You know what's 1107 00:58:57,960 --> 00:59:01,240 Speaker 2: interesting about t R's rise back up as a rough 1108 00:59:01,360 --> 00:59:06,280 Speaker 2: rider is it's the first time that the country fights 1109 00:59:06,360 --> 00:59:09,480 Speaker 2: as red, white, and blue again. It's the first major 1110 00:59:09,520 --> 00:59:13,200 Speaker 2: battle after the Civil War. And so you think about, like, 1111 00:59:13,280 --> 00:59:15,520 Speaker 2: how did he I mean, yes, it was heroic, and 1112 00:59:15,560 --> 00:59:19,520 Speaker 2: he became the hero of that story. But he became 1113 00:59:19,600 --> 00:59:22,720 Speaker 2: the hero of the biggest war since the Civil War. 1114 00:59:22,800 --> 00:59:27,360 Speaker 2: He became the symbol of American unity and again has 1115 00:59:27,400 --> 00:59:31,520 Speaker 2: this Northern father, Southern mother, eastern political identity, and western 1116 00:59:31,680 --> 00:59:36,880 Speaker 2: ranch cowboy image. He's like perfect, he's central casting. By 1117 00:59:36,920 --> 00:59:41,600 Speaker 2: the way, the journalist who documents all of TR's exploits 1118 00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:46,800 Speaker 2: in Cuba, Richard Harding Davis, introduced to TR by Bammy. 1119 00:59:47,360 --> 00:59:50,040 Speaker 2: Oh really yep, says you know what would be a 1120 00:59:50,080 --> 00:59:50,959 Speaker 2: good idea is if. 1121 00:59:50,920 --> 00:59:52,520 Speaker 1: Your kid and she's like his pr agent. 1122 00:59:52,640 --> 00:59:55,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, and Connie will do the same Connie when 1123 00:59:55,240 --> 00:59:58,440 Speaker 2: he's in the White House. So Edith is very private, 1124 00:59:58,560 --> 01:00:02,320 Speaker 2: you know, she's more circumspance. She's universally known as a 1125 01:00:02,320 --> 01:00:05,240 Speaker 2: better judge of character. He doesn't make a single appointment 1126 01:00:05,320 --> 01:00:08,400 Speaker 2: without talking to Edith. She redesigns the White House, puts 1127 01:00:08,400 --> 01:00:10,800 Speaker 2: her office next to his. I say in The Loves 1128 01:00:10,800 --> 01:00:13,000 Speaker 2: of Theodore Roosevelt that he's in she's in the room 1129 01:00:13,000 --> 01:00:15,360 Speaker 2: where it happened because she designed it that way. So 1130 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:18,840 Speaker 2: she's involved. But she doesn't love the personal side of 1131 01:00:18,880 --> 01:00:20,840 Speaker 2: politic Actually she doesn't have politics at all. I mean, 1132 01:00:20,840 --> 01:00:22,800 Speaker 2: when it's over, she says, I'm so glad it is 1133 01:00:22,840 --> 01:00:27,520 Speaker 2: all over the presidency. But but Connie knows that if 1134 01:00:27,560 --> 01:00:32,000 Speaker 2: the American public falls in love with Theodore Roosevelt's family, 1135 01:00:32,040 --> 01:00:35,480 Speaker 2: he'll be more successful politically. So she's the one that 1136 01:00:35,560 --> 01:00:40,440 Speaker 2: leaks the stories of Algonquin, the pony coming up to 1137 01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:43,440 Speaker 2: the second floor, the wrestling matches at four o'clock, the 1138 01:00:43,560 --> 01:00:47,360 Speaker 2: jiu jitsu in boxing in the White House. You know, 1139 01:00:47,440 --> 01:00:49,880 Speaker 2: she's the one she eat this. Oh yeah, they're gonna 1140 01:00:49,920 --> 01:00:52,160 Speaker 2: love it. I mean, it makes him personable. It's like 1141 01:00:52,200 --> 01:00:55,800 Speaker 2: a crazy menagerie of a zoo and this big family 1142 01:00:55,840 --> 01:00:59,000 Speaker 2: and it. They're fun and they're active and they're adventuresome. 1143 01:00:59,160 --> 01:01:01,560 Speaker 2: And she knows, I mean, she's the one that leaks 1144 01:01:01,600 --> 01:01:05,480 Speaker 2: the story about Emily the snake. You know, Alice the 1145 01:01:05,560 --> 01:01:09,480 Speaker 2: daughter famously wears a green snake around her neck, and 1146 01:01:09,520 --> 01:01:12,200 Speaker 2: when they ask what's with the snake, she says, well, 1147 01:01:12,200 --> 01:01:15,520 Speaker 2: this is Emily Spinach. And they said, well, who's Emily Spinach? 1148 01:01:15,520 --> 01:01:17,200 Speaker 2: She said, well, I don't like my aunt Emily, and 1149 01:01:17,200 --> 01:01:19,240 Speaker 2: I don't like Spinach, so it's Emily Spinach. 1150 01:01:20,800 --> 01:01:22,680 Speaker 1: So you were saying that Edith winds up being a 1151 01:01:22,720 --> 01:01:23,560 Speaker 1: good judge of character. 1152 01:01:23,760 --> 01:01:27,360 Speaker 2: She a better judge of character than Trundred percent. He's 1153 01:01:27,600 --> 01:01:30,880 Speaker 2: exactly as Randall said, like, if he has a fault, 1154 01:01:31,000 --> 01:01:35,160 Speaker 2: it's that he's what serves him so well. His instincts 1155 01:01:35,520 --> 01:01:38,240 Speaker 2: can turn on him and not serve him well in 1156 01:01:38,320 --> 01:01:42,720 Speaker 2: a political arena because he's very trusting of people. He 1157 01:01:42,920 --> 01:01:46,880 Speaker 2: likes everyone. He generally feels that people have good motives, 1158 01:01:47,360 --> 01:01:52,800 Speaker 2: and he he's impetuous. He makes quick decisions and doesn't 1159 01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:57,080 Speaker 2: think about necessarily the consequence. Edith is the opposite, right, 1160 01:01:57,160 --> 01:02:02,919 Speaker 2: She's slow, she's plotting, she's calculating. She's I like she's 1161 01:02:02,960 --> 01:02:06,720 Speaker 2: described as parched. He has a he has a valet. 1162 01:02:06,840 --> 01:02:09,240 Speaker 2: I know, well, these the best the people that quotes 1163 01:02:09,360 --> 01:02:15,040 Speaker 2: that people really love is she she describes she describes 1164 01:02:15,040 --> 01:02:18,160 Speaker 2: her grandchildren. She says, I love to see their little faces, 1165 01:02:18,160 --> 01:02:19,600 Speaker 2: but I prefer to see their backs. 1166 01:02:21,560 --> 01:02:23,120 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know why I make think of this. 1167 01:02:23,240 --> 01:02:25,959 Speaker 1: I'm talking about like your someone's wife as a judge 1168 01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:30,000 Speaker 1: of character. Uh. Years ago, I used to hang out 1169 01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:31,880 Speaker 1: a lot of Like I used to hang out with 1170 01:02:31,880 --> 01:02:34,640 Speaker 1: more writers than I do now. Yeah, like, I used 1171 01:02:34,680 --> 01:02:38,120 Speaker 1: to hang out all writers almost And uh, one time, 1172 01:02:38,200 --> 01:02:40,040 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna say his name, but I had a 1173 01:02:40,080 --> 01:02:42,920 Speaker 1: certain writer over my house and we're had dinner together 1174 01:02:43,080 --> 01:02:45,200 Speaker 1: and he leaves. My wife's like, that guy's never come 1175 01:02:45,240 --> 01:02:47,600 Speaker 1: back in this house again. And I kind of sat 1176 01:02:47,640 --> 01:02:50,680 Speaker 1: on that forever. And there day I told a mutual 1177 01:02:50,760 --> 01:02:54,520 Speaker 1: friend that story, and I told my wife, you know, 1178 01:02:54,520 --> 01:02:57,400 Speaker 1: I was telling him about what you said about his buddy. 1179 01:02:58,320 --> 01:03:02,480 Speaker 1: She's just not happy that us share. 1180 01:03:03,520 --> 01:03:06,800 Speaker 2: But maybe she was right. I found coming that story 1181 01:03:06,960 --> 01:03:08,280 Speaker 2: was going to be in vincation. 1182 01:03:10,240 --> 01:03:12,560 Speaker 1: That's the only time, dude, we've had some crazy people 1183 01:03:12,560 --> 01:03:15,120 Speaker 1: over our house, you know, all the time she's ever 1184 01:03:15,200 --> 01:03:18,760 Speaker 1: said no, no, well that's kind I don't care what 1185 01:03:18,840 --> 01:03:19,160 Speaker 1: you're right. 1186 01:03:19,600 --> 01:03:21,920 Speaker 2: Kind of the dynamic with Edith and tr like, she 1187 01:03:21,960 --> 01:03:24,560 Speaker 2: gave him a long leash, but when she pulled it 1188 01:03:24,600 --> 01:03:27,440 Speaker 2: in she was serious, right, Like it was like, hey, this, 1189 01:03:27,800 --> 01:03:31,200 Speaker 2: I'm not kidding about this one. For example, nineteen twelve, 1190 01:03:31,680 --> 01:03:35,120 Speaker 2: he's contemplating running for president again. He's constitutionally able to, 1191 01:03:35,720 --> 01:03:39,440 Speaker 2: and he's pissed that he gave the reins to William 1192 01:03:39,440 --> 01:03:42,320 Speaker 2: Howard Taft. Everybody's like, oh, tr you gotta do it, 1193 01:03:42,320 --> 01:03:43,640 Speaker 2: you gotta do it, you gotta do it. You're gonna win. 1194 01:03:43,760 --> 01:03:46,680 Speaker 1: You got to do that again for people that don't 1195 01:03:46,720 --> 01:03:47,600 Speaker 1: know this whole history. 1196 01:03:48,200 --> 01:03:52,920 Speaker 2: So Theodore Roosevelt in nineteen oh four, when he wins 1197 01:03:53,080 --> 01:03:55,600 Speaker 2: election in his own right, makes one of the biggest 1198 01:03:55,600 --> 01:03:58,520 Speaker 2: political Okay, well you want to back up. 1199 01:03:58,480 --> 01:04:02,920 Speaker 1: There so you don't get bored. McKinley dies and and 1200 01:04:03,040 --> 01:04:05,680 Speaker 1: Roosevelt comes into office off the like that he's the 1201 01:04:05,720 --> 01:04:08,840 Speaker 1: vice president. Yep, and the unexpectedly boom, there he is 1202 01:04:08,960 --> 01:04:11,080 Speaker 1: and says, he turns around and earns it on his 1203 01:04:11,120 --> 01:04:11,600 Speaker 1: own Yep. 1204 01:04:11,640 --> 01:04:13,800 Speaker 2: He wins elected office in his own right, which was 1205 01:04:13,840 --> 01:04:15,600 Speaker 2: his goal. I mean, he really felt like he was 1206 01:04:15,640 --> 01:04:18,080 Speaker 2: walking in a dead man's shoes. Sure, and he made 1207 01:04:18,080 --> 01:04:20,760 Speaker 2: a lot of change, and that was very risky. He 1208 01:04:20,800 --> 01:04:22,680 Speaker 2: was convinced he was going to lose. It turns out 1209 01:04:22,680 --> 01:04:24,920 Speaker 2: to be a route one of the biggest political victories 1210 01:04:24,960 --> 01:04:26,720 Speaker 2: in US history in nineteen oh fourth. 1211 01:04:26,800 --> 01:04:29,720 Speaker 1: The same for Johnson, right, Like Johnson comes in yep, yeah. 1212 01:04:29,600 --> 01:04:32,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly exactly. I mean, so he comes in with 1213 01:04:33,000 --> 01:04:36,400 Speaker 2: the he's got the wind at his back, and he's 1214 01:04:36,400 --> 01:04:40,200 Speaker 2: not restricted to two terms, and technically he's picked up 1215 01:04:40,280 --> 01:04:42,320 Speaker 2: part of the term of another president. 1216 01:04:42,720 --> 01:04:46,680 Speaker 1: So because because that wasn't it wasn't wasn't codified yet. No, 1217 01:04:46,960 --> 01:04:50,040 Speaker 1: it was a tradition, but it wasn't exactly So like 1218 01:04:50,160 --> 01:04:54,600 Speaker 1: FDR did three, So without consulting his wife, Edith, who's 1219 01:04:54,640 --> 01:04:57,640 Speaker 1: in the room, far three, FDR did four. 1220 01:04:57,720 --> 01:05:00,160 Speaker 2: But he died very early into his fourth term. So 1221 01:05:00,200 --> 01:05:03,560 Speaker 2: he won four. Yeah, FDR overlearned the lesson that t 1222 01:05:03,760 --> 01:05:09,320 Speaker 2: R didn't learn. He made up for for his his 1223 01:05:09,440 --> 01:05:11,000 Speaker 2: distant cousin's deficiency. 1224 01:05:11,040 --> 01:05:13,560 Speaker 1: He's not bound by turn bound, but he's got like 1225 01:05:13,600 --> 01:05:17,480 Speaker 1: a term limit under mckintle. He's got McKie and a 1226 01:05:17,520 --> 01:05:18,880 Speaker 1: half years does his own term. 1227 01:05:19,120 --> 01:05:21,080 Speaker 2: So he's been president. He's going to be president for 1228 01:05:21,120 --> 01:05:22,760 Speaker 2: seven and a half years. Been close than to two 1229 01:05:22,760 --> 01:05:26,520 Speaker 2: fold turn violated the norms to he would have been 1230 01:05:26,560 --> 01:05:29,960 Speaker 2: the first president to run for a third term, and 1231 01:05:30,440 --> 01:05:31,160 Speaker 2: but he almost he. 1232 01:05:31,120 --> 01:05:34,160 Speaker 3: Could sort of say I didn't have a full first term. 1233 01:05:34,400 --> 01:05:37,959 Speaker 2: Absolutely yeah, yeah, and everybody thought he would. He gets 1234 01:05:38,040 --> 01:05:41,400 Speaker 2: up on election night and announces I will not stand 1235 01:05:41,440 --> 01:05:44,400 Speaker 2: for election in nineteen oh eight. He makes himself a 1236 01:05:44,480 --> 01:05:48,520 Speaker 2: lame duck. I mean, every and Edith was seen to WinCE, 1237 01:05:49,120 --> 01:05:51,479 Speaker 2: and Bammy was like, you got to take it back. 1238 01:05:51,600 --> 01:05:52,920 Speaker 2: I mean, you got to you got to say you 1239 01:05:53,120 --> 01:05:55,680 Speaker 2: that's not true, that you maybe you will, maybe you won't. 1240 01:05:56,400 --> 01:05:59,040 Speaker 2: What year did he make that announcement the election night 1241 01:05:59,160 --> 01:06:00,120 Speaker 2: nineteen oh four. 1242 01:06:00,200 --> 01:06:03,720 Speaker 1: So nineteen oh four, he says in eight, this will 1243 01:06:03,760 --> 01:06:06,720 Speaker 1: be my last, the same thing kind of well, and 1244 01:06:06,760 --> 01:06:09,800 Speaker 1: how'd that work out? Well? He tried again, and did. 1245 01:06:09,680 --> 01:06:12,280 Speaker 2: That work out? I mean, you know, you generally don't 1246 01:06:12,280 --> 01:06:14,800 Speaker 2: make pronouncements that you're not going to. I mean, I 1247 01:06:14,840 --> 01:06:18,240 Speaker 2: think the thing about tr is he says what he means, 1248 01:06:18,280 --> 01:06:19,240 Speaker 2: and he means what he says. 1249 01:06:19,840 --> 01:06:20,040 Speaker 1: Right. 1250 01:06:20,120 --> 01:06:23,640 Speaker 2: He's a straight shooter, and so he's he's he's observing 1251 01:06:23,640 --> 01:06:27,280 Speaker 2: the tradition. His heroes are Washington and Lincoln. I mean, 1252 01:06:27,320 --> 01:06:30,760 Speaker 2: he recalls as a child watching Lincoln's funeral in New York, 1253 01:06:30,880 --> 01:06:33,640 Speaker 2: like he wants to emulate. Does he know what he's. 1254 01:06:33,480 --> 01:06:35,360 Speaker 1: Going on that big ass Africa hunting trip. 1255 01:06:36,000 --> 01:06:39,240 Speaker 2: Well he he did that too, that's true. 1256 01:06:39,440 --> 01:06:40,440 Speaker 1: And let me tell you why. 1257 01:06:40,560 --> 01:06:44,520 Speaker 2: He's pretty pretty excited about that. Yeah. Yes, So he 1258 01:06:44,560 --> 01:06:47,200 Speaker 2: says he's not going to run for reelection. All of 1259 01:06:47,200 --> 01:06:49,920 Speaker 2: the women in his life say, this is a disastrous decision. 1260 01:06:49,920 --> 01:06:50,240 Speaker 1: And it was. 1261 01:06:50,320 --> 01:06:52,640 Speaker 2: So it was the worst political decision he made in 1262 01:06:52,640 --> 01:06:56,880 Speaker 2: his life because he regretted it on because he was 1263 01:06:56,920 --> 01:06:59,640 Speaker 2: a reformer. He was a progressive. And I don't mean 1264 01:07:00,360 --> 01:07:03,760 Speaker 2: in the sense of politics. I mean he was outside 1265 01:07:03,800 --> 01:07:06,880 Speaker 2: the system, right. He was pushing change, and he was 1266 01:07:06,960 --> 01:07:10,640 Speaker 2: pushing the boundaries of what was and what could be. 1267 01:07:10,840 --> 01:07:15,000 Speaker 2: I mean he he so once an agitator is out, 1268 01:07:15,680 --> 01:07:18,960 Speaker 2: they never letting him back in. I mean, Edith knew this, 1269 01:07:19,080 --> 01:07:22,720 Speaker 2: Bammy knew this. Like once you give up power voluntarily, 1270 01:07:23,040 --> 01:07:26,000 Speaker 2: you are never going to get it back. So he 1271 01:07:26,080 --> 01:07:28,680 Speaker 2: sits by. He goes on the African Safari for over 1272 01:07:28,720 --> 01:07:32,560 Speaker 2: a year. He's getting reports about what's happening back home. 1273 01:07:32,720 --> 01:07:34,880 Speaker 2: They're not following your agenda. One of the big things 1274 01:07:35,000 --> 01:07:35,680 Speaker 2: was conservation. 1275 01:07:35,880 --> 01:07:41,520 Speaker 1: Did he did he pick Was he successful in picking 1276 01:07:41,560 --> 01:07:42,240 Speaker 1: his successor? 1277 01:07:42,360 --> 01:07:42,640 Speaker 2: Yes? 1278 01:07:42,960 --> 01:07:46,520 Speaker 1: Okay, so he hand hand picked indorsed and that carried 1279 01:07:46,520 --> 01:07:47,000 Speaker 1: the weight. 1280 01:07:47,880 --> 01:07:49,960 Speaker 2: It, yes, and it was an odd pick, so he 1281 01:07:50,080 --> 01:07:53,560 Speaker 2: could have won absolutely. I mean, it's not even an 1282 01:07:53,840 --> 01:07:57,400 Speaker 2: entertaining counterfactual, like if Theodore Roosevelt had run in nineteen 1283 01:07:57,440 --> 01:08:01,959 Speaker 2: oh eight, he wins, he wins better. Taffy Taft, Oh boy, 1284 01:08:02,080 --> 01:08:05,959 Speaker 2: so not a name Brandy, Yeah, no, I mean he 1285 01:08:06,120 --> 01:08:08,120 Speaker 2: was he against William Jennings Bryan. I'm trying to remember 1286 01:08:08,120 --> 01:08:13,880 Speaker 2: if Brian anyway? He no, No, it wasn't close, and 1287 01:08:14,480 --> 01:08:18,240 Speaker 2: tr regrets it. So fast forward. One of the issues 1288 01:08:18,280 --> 01:08:22,240 Speaker 2: being conservation, right he Taft doesn't do anything on conservation. 1289 01:08:22,400 --> 01:08:25,280 Speaker 2: He decides, like, what are we doing this for? We're 1290 01:08:25,800 --> 01:08:29,240 Speaker 2: I mean, he undos a bunch of some of the 1291 01:08:29,240 --> 01:08:31,479 Speaker 2: things that TR's record includes in the two hundred and 1292 01:08:31,520 --> 01:08:33,960 Speaker 2: thirty four million acres part of them we're coal reserves. 1293 01:08:34,000 --> 01:08:35,959 Speaker 2: He says, we're not going to keep the coal reserves. 1294 01:08:36,080 --> 01:08:38,559 Speaker 2: We're going to use him right now. And I mean, 1295 01:08:38,600 --> 01:08:43,759 Speaker 2: so these things start being undone immediately, and they irritate TR. 1296 01:08:44,160 --> 01:08:46,519 Speaker 2: He comes back and there's a whole group of people saying, 1297 01:08:46,720 --> 01:08:50,680 Speaker 2: you know, progressive governor saying you should run. Edith is 1298 01:08:50,720 --> 01:08:52,880 Speaker 2: the only one who comes to him and says, put 1299 01:08:52,880 --> 01:08:55,360 Speaker 2: it out of your mind, Theodore, you will never be 1300 01:08:55,479 --> 01:08:59,120 Speaker 2: president of the United States again. Ouch. I mean, but 1301 01:08:59,400 --> 01:09:03,080 Speaker 2: she he saw it, She saw the chessboard, she saw. 1302 01:09:02,920 --> 01:09:04,719 Speaker 1: The political because the way the machine works. 1303 01:09:04,840 --> 01:09:06,519 Speaker 2: Yeah, they weren't going to let him back. I mean, 1304 01:09:06,600 --> 01:09:08,599 Speaker 2: they weren't going to chance the two parties. The sitting 1305 01:09:08,640 --> 01:09:10,680 Speaker 2: president was going to just step aside, and you were 1306 01:09:10,680 --> 01:09:13,719 Speaker 2: going to get the Republican nomination again. So he runs 1307 01:09:13,920 --> 01:09:17,599 Speaker 2: a primary campaign. He is the first. If you don't 1308 01:09:17,680 --> 01:09:20,320 Speaker 2: like primaries, you got another thing to blame tr for 1309 01:09:20,800 --> 01:09:23,760 Speaker 2: because he invents them. He says, let the people rule. 1310 01:09:24,200 --> 01:09:26,040 Speaker 2: I know the political system won't give it to me. 1311 01:09:26,120 --> 01:09:28,000 Speaker 2: So I'm going to go out to the people. And 1312 01:09:28,040 --> 01:09:32,599 Speaker 2: he starts campaigning, and he wins enough delegates to have 1313 01:09:32,840 --> 01:09:37,080 Speaker 2: the nomination, the Republican nomination. They get to the convention 1314 01:09:37,479 --> 01:09:40,839 Speaker 2: and just as Edith predicted, they deny him the nomination. 1315 01:09:41,080 --> 01:09:42,000 Speaker 2: They give it to Taft. 1316 01:09:42,160 --> 01:09:47,479 Speaker 1: He challenges his own hand picked guy, correct, yes in 1317 01:09:47,520 --> 01:09:50,360 Speaker 1: a primary thing, Yes, beats him in a primary. 1318 01:09:50,680 --> 01:09:50,960 Speaker 2: Yes. 1319 01:09:51,080 --> 01:09:53,240 Speaker 1: So here he is campaigning against the guy like he 1320 01:09:53,280 --> 01:09:54,080 Speaker 1: hasn't followed through. 1321 01:09:53,960 --> 01:09:55,840 Speaker 2: My which has never been done in history, right, so 1322 01:09:55,920 --> 01:09:58,160 Speaker 2: this is very unusual. This is strange. 1323 01:09:58,200 --> 01:10:01,479 Speaker 1: But then the conventioneer's revolt and handed to the sitting down. 1324 01:10:01,640 --> 01:10:05,040 Speaker 2: And part of the problem, not to get to arcane, 1325 01:10:05,200 --> 01:10:08,800 Speaker 2: is that there are other candidates running in the primary. 1326 01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:13,439 Speaker 2: There's fighting Bob LaFollette from Wisconsin, who's more progressive than 1327 01:10:13,640 --> 01:10:17,960 Speaker 2: tr and so the decision is, like Theodore Roosevelt doesn't 1328 01:10:18,000 --> 01:10:21,800 Speaker 2: win the state of North Dakota in the nineteen twelve primary, 1329 01:10:21,840 --> 01:10:24,960 Speaker 2: you know he like so his strength is in the 1330 01:10:25,000 --> 01:10:29,120 Speaker 2: West and in the battlegrounds of the east. And you know, 1331 01:10:29,160 --> 01:10:32,599 Speaker 2: the battlegrounds are New York, right, It's hard to imagine today, 1332 01:10:32,680 --> 01:10:37,840 Speaker 2: but that's the battleground He never won another Southern state 1333 01:10:38,360 --> 01:10:42,160 Speaker 2: in his political career. After having Booker T. Washington to 1334 01:10:42,200 --> 01:10:45,360 Speaker 2: the White House, he was the first yes, yep, he's 1335 01:10:45,400 --> 01:10:47,400 Speaker 2: a first president to have a black man dine at 1336 01:10:47,400 --> 01:10:50,360 Speaker 2: the White House, there were threats on his life. There 1337 01:10:50,360 --> 01:10:53,280 Speaker 2: was a senator who said nothing bad would have happened 1338 01:10:53,320 --> 01:10:55,120 Speaker 2: if a bomb would have gone off under the table, 1339 01:10:55,320 --> 01:10:58,479 Speaker 2: killed the President and killed Booker T. Washington. There was 1340 01:10:58,520 --> 01:11:00,479 Speaker 2: a fight that broke out in the Senate or when 1341 01:11:00,600 --> 01:11:04,879 Speaker 2: that senator made those remarks, tr banned that Senator, Senator Tillman, 1342 01:11:05,000 --> 01:11:08,639 Speaker 2: of a racist from the South, from ever coming back 1343 01:11:08,680 --> 01:11:11,000 Speaker 2: in the White House again while he was president. I mean, 1344 01:11:11,080 --> 01:11:13,000 Speaker 2: you know, so when I talk about political violence like 1345 01:11:13,160 --> 01:11:16,160 Speaker 2: it was real at the time. And so tr knew 1346 01:11:16,200 --> 01:11:18,680 Speaker 2: he couldn't win the South. He had to win a 1347 01:11:18,680 --> 01:11:23,000 Speaker 2: combination of the East and the West. And so then 1348 01:11:23,040 --> 01:11:28,000 Speaker 2: he is the first president to embrace suffrage. He makes 1349 01:11:28,000 --> 01:11:30,680 Speaker 2: suffrage a part of his nineteen twelve platform. I was 1350 01:11:30,720 --> 01:11:34,120 Speaker 2: going to mention it earlier, just quickly rewinding. One of 1351 01:11:34,160 --> 01:11:38,879 Speaker 2: the biggest influences Alice had is his senior thesis in college. 1352 01:11:39,240 --> 01:11:42,280 Speaker 2: So Theodore Roosevelt writes a senior thesis when he's graduating. 1353 01:11:42,680 --> 01:11:46,799 Speaker 2: He endorses suffrage. He endorses a woman's right to own property. 1354 01:11:47,040 --> 01:11:49,839 Speaker 2: He endorses the idea that women could be doctors, lawyers, 1355 01:11:49,840 --> 01:11:53,000 Speaker 2: and judges. He says women shouldn't necessarily take their husband's 1356 01:11:53,080 --> 01:11:56,320 Speaker 2: name upon marriage. That should be their choice. Very progressive 1357 01:11:56,360 --> 01:11:59,760 Speaker 2: for eighteen eighty. That's all Alice. And then when she 1358 01:12:00,040 --> 01:12:01,519 Speaker 2: eyes that kind of that light is. 1359 01:12:01,600 --> 01:12:05,840 Speaker 1: What's my next paragraph? 1360 01:12:07,240 --> 01:12:10,400 Speaker 2: Right? I could keep some of the taxidermy. It's like 1361 01:12:10,680 --> 01:12:16,080 Speaker 2: maybe my favorites and keep the bison, right, huh. Anyway, 1362 01:12:16,160 --> 01:12:17,839 Speaker 2: so he's just very progressive platform. 1363 01:12:18,120 --> 01:12:20,240 Speaker 1: They pass when they pass and by and give it 1364 01:12:20,280 --> 01:12:21,000 Speaker 1: back to Taft. 1365 01:12:21,160 --> 01:12:21,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 1366 01:12:21,920 --> 01:12:25,680 Speaker 1: He then says screw y'all, yes, and does his independent 1367 01:12:25,720 --> 01:12:27,280 Speaker 1: bid the bull Moose party and all that. 1368 01:12:27,360 --> 01:12:32,160 Speaker 2: Yes. So here's the key moment. Right, so Edith has said, 1369 01:12:32,360 --> 01:12:34,760 Speaker 2: no way, this is not going to happen. They go 1370 01:12:34,840 --> 01:12:37,919 Speaker 2: out for a horseback ride in Oyster Bay. A car 1371 01:12:38,280 --> 01:12:40,720 Speaker 2: starts and startles her horse. And she was a very 1372 01:12:40,720 --> 01:12:43,000 Speaker 2: accomplished horsewoman. I mean she she was a good rider. 1373 01:12:43,680 --> 01:12:48,280 Speaker 2: She gets bucked from the horse. She lands on her head, unconscious. 1374 01:12:48,360 --> 01:12:50,320 Speaker 2: I mean she has undoubtedly what today would be a 1375 01:12:50,320 --> 01:12:55,280 Speaker 2: traumatic brain injury. She's out cold for several days. Yes. Yes, 1376 01:12:56,400 --> 01:13:01,040 Speaker 2: that is when Connie and Bammy work with seven progressive 1377 01:13:01,080 --> 01:13:04,639 Speaker 2: governors to publish a letter that encourages TR to run 1378 01:13:04,680 --> 01:13:09,719 Speaker 2: as an independent as a bull Moose, and t R says, 1379 01:13:10,520 --> 01:13:12,720 Speaker 2: I'll throw my hat in the ring. My hat is 1380 01:13:12,720 --> 01:13:13,120 Speaker 2: in the ring. 1381 01:13:16,880 --> 01:13:21,960 Speaker 3: This is when I miss, you're signed off on this. 1382 01:13:22,160 --> 01:13:26,080 Speaker 2: Right before the horse right, you were saying something is 1383 01:13:26,120 --> 01:13:28,639 Speaker 2: the horse was bucking you off. I think it was run. 1384 01:13:29,000 --> 01:13:31,320 Speaker 2: I think it was run. That's what I heard. I 1385 01:13:31,320 --> 01:13:34,519 Speaker 2: heard Run Run is an independent. That's what I heard. 1386 01:13:34,840 --> 01:13:36,759 Speaker 2: It's too good to be true. That tells you anything 1387 01:13:36,760 --> 01:13:38,600 Speaker 2: about their dynamic that he had to wait till she 1388 01:13:38,680 --> 01:13:40,840 Speaker 2: was out cold to make the decision to run as 1389 01:13:40,880 --> 01:13:44,320 Speaker 2: a bull moose progressive. She's so pissed that she gets 1390 01:13:44,400 --> 01:13:48,240 Speaker 2: on a trip to uh the Caribbean with her daughter 1391 01:13:48,280 --> 01:13:51,960 Speaker 2: Ethel and there's reporters gathered where they're bringing on their 1392 01:13:52,040 --> 01:13:54,920 Speaker 2: luggage and they say, you know, reporter says, you know, 1393 01:13:55,080 --> 01:13:57,880 Speaker 2: is is the president with you? No, he's not coming 1394 01:13:57,920 --> 01:14:00,280 Speaker 2: on this journey. You know, is that a Is that 1395 01:14:00,320 --> 01:14:02,439 Speaker 2: a hat box? And they say, yes, that's a hat box. 1396 01:14:02,439 --> 01:14:05,040 Speaker 2: They said, is that hat going in the ring? And 1397 01:14:05,080 --> 01:14:07,000 Speaker 2: she says, no, we left that one at home too. 1398 01:14:09,560 --> 01:14:12,920 Speaker 2: He said, I throw my hat in the ring. So 1399 01:14:12,960 --> 01:14:16,000 Speaker 2: they're basically saying, like, you know that one, you want 1400 01:14:16,000 --> 01:14:19,479 Speaker 2: to go go talk to Teddy about hats in the rings. 1401 01:14:19,560 --> 01:14:22,360 Speaker 2: We're going to go to the Caribbean and cool off. 1402 01:14:21,600 --> 01:14:25,719 Speaker 2: She was not happy, and she was and she eventually 1403 01:14:25,720 --> 01:14:28,599 Speaker 2: came around. I mean they all came around and helped him, 1404 01:14:28,800 --> 01:14:31,400 Speaker 2: and you know, then you have the assassination attempt, and 1405 01:14:31,439 --> 01:14:34,160 Speaker 2: for a brief moment it kind of looks like Holy cow, 1406 01:14:34,200 --> 01:14:37,320 Speaker 2: because he I mean, the man knew how to create 1407 01:14:37,360 --> 01:14:40,479 Speaker 2: a moment. He knew how to create a spectacle. And 1408 01:14:40,520 --> 01:14:45,080 Speaker 2: so he is shot. He delivers the speech for over 1409 01:14:45,160 --> 01:14:48,400 Speaker 2: an hour. He begins by saying, I don't know if 1410 01:14:48,400 --> 01:14:51,040 Speaker 2: you know, but I have just been shot, and opens 1411 01:14:51,080 --> 01:14:54,439 Speaker 2: his coat and it is caked in blood. I mean, 1412 01:14:55,800 --> 01:14:57,800 Speaker 2: to this day, when you see the shirt at the 1413 01:14:57,800 --> 01:15:01,000 Speaker 2: Theodre Roosevelt Presidential Library, like the outline of the blood. 1414 01:15:01,120 --> 01:15:04,960 Speaker 2: He was bleeding, but he coughed into a you know, 1415 01:15:04,960 --> 01:15:06,680 Speaker 2: he coughed and he didn't have any blood coming out 1416 01:15:06,680 --> 01:15:08,240 Speaker 2: of his lungs. So he said, you know, I'm going 1417 01:15:08,280 --> 01:15:11,200 Speaker 2: on stage, and they were like, this is you gotta 1418 01:15:11,280 --> 01:15:13,600 Speaker 2: get off stage. I mean several times they tried to 1419 01:15:13,640 --> 01:15:15,520 Speaker 2: interrupt him and get him to the hospital. 1420 01:15:15,720 --> 01:15:19,280 Speaker 1: People thought that that the fist pump after Trump got 1421 01:15:19,360 --> 01:15:20,920 Speaker 1: shot through the ear was bad ass. 1422 01:15:20,960 --> 01:15:25,320 Speaker 2: This is this is that nineteen And then he's giving 1423 01:15:25,360 --> 01:15:28,640 Speaker 2: the speech still and he says and he says, you know, 1424 01:15:28,760 --> 01:15:31,360 Speaker 2: the thing that killed all these prior presidents who got 1425 01:15:31,360 --> 01:15:33,720 Speaker 2: shot was not the bullet. It was the surgery. It 1426 01:15:33,800 --> 01:15:36,280 Speaker 2: was the exploration looking for the you know, then they 1427 01:15:36,320 --> 01:15:39,559 Speaker 2: get gangreen or they get right. So he's like, leave 1428 01:15:39,600 --> 01:15:41,800 Speaker 2: it in there. It's fine. If it didn't kill me, 1429 01:15:41,920 --> 01:15:45,160 Speaker 2: it ain't gonna kill me. And so he doesn't have surgery. 1430 01:15:45,640 --> 01:15:48,519 Speaker 2: And two weeks later he gives a big speech at 1431 01:15:48,560 --> 01:15:52,280 Speaker 2: Madison Square Garden and it's like, oh my god, he's 1432 01:15:52,320 --> 01:15:54,200 Speaker 2: going to win. You know, he could, he could do it. 1433 01:15:54,560 --> 01:15:56,960 Speaker 2: And there's like a brief flicker of hope. But they 1434 01:15:56,960 --> 01:15:59,960 Speaker 2: split the vote, you know, taft In Roosevelt split the vote. 1435 01:16:00,560 --> 01:16:03,439 Speaker 2: Woodrow Wilson, the Democrat, is elected. I mean, you think 1436 01:16:03,439 --> 01:16:07,679 Speaker 2: if he, if tr is elected in nineteen twelve, there's 1437 01:16:07,720 --> 01:16:11,719 Speaker 2: a decent chance the United States does not get into 1438 01:16:11,720 --> 01:16:14,920 Speaker 2: World War One. I mean, he knew all of the 1439 01:16:15,000 --> 01:16:17,439 Speaker 2: leaders of all the countries that eventually got into World 1440 01:16:17,479 --> 01:16:17,920 Speaker 2: War One. 1441 01:16:18,720 --> 01:16:20,840 Speaker 1: God imagine too, that we wouldn't be stuck in this 1442 01:16:20,880 --> 01:16:23,080 Speaker 1: bullshit two party system that we had lived under. 1443 01:16:23,200 --> 01:16:26,960 Speaker 2: Yep, he would. I mean he's the most successful third 1444 01:16:26,960 --> 01:16:29,479 Speaker 2: party candidate in US history. 1445 01:16:30,520 --> 01:16:32,559 Speaker 1: Yeah, imagine if that had happened and you wouldn't have 1446 01:16:32,600 --> 01:16:35,720 Speaker 1: to do this dumb thing that we have to do. 1447 01:16:35,880 --> 01:16:38,640 Speaker 2: Well, it's another reason I think he's popular across the 1448 01:16:38,680 --> 01:16:42,400 Speaker 2: political spectrum is you know, when his own party betrayed 1449 01:16:42,479 --> 01:16:44,679 Speaker 2: him or he felt they weren't doing what he thought 1450 01:16:44,720 --> 01:16:47,479 Speaker 2: should be done. He left it and he ran as 1451 01:16:47,520 --> 01:16:49,800 Speaker 2: an independent. I mean, you know what I just found out, dude, 1452 01:16:49,800 --> 01:16:53,840 Speaker 2: to this kind of surprising is this gives me an 1453 01:16:53,840 --> 01:16:55,479 Speaker 2: opportunity to bring up my honor ay PhD. 1454 01:16:57,439 --> 01:17:01,479 Speaker 1: Shoulder there. Oh wow, he's got the big one. I 1455 01:17:01,479 --> 01:17:02,719 Speaker 1: was just reading that the press. 1456 01:17:02,920 --> 01:17:04,920 Speaker 2: The president is below that is it? 1457 01:17:05,040 --> 01:17:09,639 Speaker 1: The small one? The president, the university, that little dinky 1458 01:17:09,680 --> 01:17:14,760 Speaker 1: thing anyhow, just like a way, a way that I 1459 01:17:14,760 --> 01:17:18,360 Speaker 1: could flex. Yeah. Please. When I was there doing that, 1460 01:17:18,640 --> 01:17:21,479 Speaker 1: I had dinner a couple of times with the president 1461 01:17:22,200 --> 01:17:25,400 Speaker 1: of University Montana, guy named Seth Bodner, who's a green bray. 1462 01:17:25,880 --> 01:17:27,320 Speaker 1: I was just reading. I had no idea. I was 1463 01:17:27,360 --> 01:17:33,960 Speaker 1: reading last night Bodner is resigning from UH is resigning 1464 01:17:34,360 --> 01:17:37,640 Speaker 1: from being the president of the University of Montana to 1465 01:17:38,120 --> 01:17:42,880 Speaker 1: launch a third party bid for Montana's Senate seat. 1466 01:17:42,960 --> 01:17:47,639 Speaker 2: Wo wow. Well, you know it feels like I can't. 1467 01:17:47,680 --> 01:17:51,840 Speaker 1: Which is a death sentence. Well, because you can't. 1468 01:17:52,600 --> 01:17:53,639 Speaker 2: But you don't have to win. 1469 01:17:53,840 --> 01:17:56,880 Speaker 3: You don't have to win a majority, That's right. I Mean, 1470 01:17:56,880 --> 01:17:59,760 Speaker 3: that's the that's the difference with the presidential election is 1471 01:17:59,840 --> 01:18:04,120 Speaker 3: like there's a structural obstacle to a third party winning. 1472 01:18:04,520 --> 01:18:08,599 Speaker 3: But I think like a third party senator could I mean, 1473 01:18:08,680 --> 01:18:09,560 Speaker 3: there's several. 1474 01:18:09,320 --> 01:18:13,200 Speaker 1: Ef it's more plausible, but it's just we just don't 1475 01:18:14,120 --> 01:18:14,840 Speaker 1: don't play that game. 1476 01:18:15,120 --> 01:18:19,479 Speaker 2: I feel like we're going through a political realignment. I mean, 1477 01:18:19,520 --> 01:18:22,000 Speaker 2: what what we knew as a Republican when we were 1478 01:18:22,280 --> 01:18:25,200 Speaker 2: kids is now a Democrat. What a Democrat was is 1479 01:18:25,240 --> 01:18:26,600 Speaker 2: now more of a Republican. 1480 01:18:27,640 --> 01:18:31,599 Speaker 1: And it's like the Republicans, like when I was a boy, 1481 01:18:31,800 --> 01:18:37,320 Speaker 1: you were free trade, yeah right, you were hawkish. Now 1482 01:18:37,320 --> 01:18:39,920 Speaker 1: it's like you're sort of like a protect you like protectionist. 1483 01:18:40,400 --> 01:18:43,120 Speaker 1: So there's a fact there's a pacifist wing, you know. 1484 01:18:43,240 --> 01:18:46,200 Speaker 2: And this this is what happens throughout US history is 1485 01:18:46,880 --> 01:18:51,120 Speaker 2: and it happened during TR's time, right, there was a 1486 01:18:51,439 --> 01:18:57,040 Speaker 2: change in what a Republican was and and whether the 1487 01:18:57,080 --> 01:18:59,919 Speaker 2: Republican Party wanted to be that and what the Democratic 1488 01:19:00,080 --> 01:19:03,720 Speaker 2: Party who was, you know, aligned with with slavery. Right, 1489 01:19:03,760 --> 01:19:06,920 Speaker 2: I mean, they didn't hold office on the federal level 1490 01:19:07,040 --> 01:19:11,559 Speaker 2: for what I mean, it's until it was twenty five years, 1491 01:19:11,680 --> 01:19:13,679 Speaker 2: you know. I mean, so they were in the wilderness 1492 01:19:13,760 --> 01:19:17,320 Speaker 2: for quite a long time. Trying to restore their identity. 1493 01:19:17,360 --> 01:19:20,600 Speaker 2: And it's really until FDR comes along and sort of 1494 01:19:20,640 --> 01:19:24,360 Speaker 2: steals the playbook from Theodore Roosevelt and says, hey, you 1495 01:19:24,400 --> 01:19:26,599 Speaker 2: know all those ideas that he was trying to convince 1496 01:19:26,640 --> 01:19:29,240 Speaker 2: Republicans to do, I don't want the Democrats do them. 1497 01:19:29,520 --> 01:19:31,519 Speaker 2: I mean you think about the history of conservation, right, 1498 01:19:31,560 --> 01:19:35,599 Speaker 2: I mean it's fascinating. It's almost like there's four phases. 1499 01:19:35,640 --> 01:19:39,920 Speaker 2: You've got this first phase where Theodore Roosevelt the first 1500 01:19:39,960 --> 01:19:44,320 Speaker 2: politician to really appreciate what academics we're talking about in conservation, 1501 01:19:44,360 --> 01:19:48,400 Speaker 2: and then put it into legislative action. The federal government, 1502 01:19:48,439 --> 01:19:51,240 Speaker 2: state governments are going to do something related to nature 1503 01:19:51,240 --> 01:19:55,000 Speaker 2: and lands. And then you have FDR who picks up 1504 01:19:55,040 --> 01:19:57,760 Speaker 2: that baton and puts it on steroids. I mean right, 1505 01:19:57,840 --> 01:20:00,920 Speaker 2: I mean the CCC and the work's probably Riss administration. 1506 01:20:01,040 --> 01:20:04,760 Speaker 2: And that's just explodes into I mean, he's probably one 1507 01:20:04,760 --> 01:20:08,479 Speaker 2: of our most underrated conservation presidents because so much. 1508 01:20:08,640 --> 01:20:12,120 Speaker 1: Else taking taking unemployed people, putting them big camps to 1509 01:20:12,160 --> 01:20:14,320 Speaker 1: do conservation work exactly right. 1510 01:20:14,360 --> 01:20:19,200 Speaker 2: And so that's t r's idea manifold forty times right. 1511 01:20:19,840 --> 01:20:22,240 Speaker 2: And then you now you've got these lands. Now you've 1512 01:20:22,240 --> 01:20:25,599 Speaker 2: got these agencies. Now you've got these rules and laws 1513 01:20:25,600 --> 01:20:29,760 Speaker 2: and regulations, and then there's kind of an era of regulation. Right, 1514 01:20:29,760 --> 01:20:35,800 Speaker 2: there's awareness of environmental protection and degradation and pollution, and 1515 01:20:36,000 --> 01:20:39,720 Speaker 2: that's kind of your you know, Endangered Species Act and 1516 01:20:39,840 --> 01:20:43,160 Speaker 2: Nixon Nixon another great conservation is right, like it. 1517 01:20:43,200 --> 01:20:45,360 Speaker 1: Was almost over observed. We talked about it all the time, 1518 01:20:45,400 --> 01:20:55,720 Speaker 1: but like, uh, e p A, Yeah, the environment in 1519 01:20:55,800 --> 01:20:58,880 Speaker 1: Dangered Species Act. But what else came in under Republicans? 1520 01:20:59,840 --> 01:21:02,640 Speaker 2: All those in the in Nixon's time. I mean, it 1521 01:21:02,680 --> 01:21:05,800 Speaker 2: was that was a flurry of pretty much all the 1522 01:21:05,800 --> 01:21:09,920 Speaker 2: federal regulations that you're still dealing with. And so it 1523 01:21:10,000 --> 01:21:11,600 Speaker 2: kind of begs this question, is why I love the 1524 01:21:11,600 --> 01:21:15,479 Speaker 2: timing of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. It's like, what's 1525 01:21:15,479 --> 01:21:17,720 Speaker 2: old is new again. We're at this crux point, We're 1526 01:21:17,760 --> 01:21:22,240 Speaker 2: at this inflection, We're at this midpoint where what is 1527 01:21:22,280 --> 01:21:26,599 Speaker 2: that fourth stage of conservation? What is the future of 1528 01:21:26,800 --> 01:21:30,360 Speaker 2: that conversation? You know, it's one of those issues that 1529 01:21:30,400 --> 01:21:35,759 Speaker 2: shouldn't necessarily be partisan or political. C forgets that way often, 1530 01:21:36,160 --> 01:21:42,639 Speaker 2: but you've had throughout history Republicans, Democrats, independents embrace this idea, 1531 01:21:42,800 --> 01:21:45,120 Speaker 2: and that's one of the I mean, I think, like 1532 01:21:45,200 --> 01:21:48,719 Speaker 2: what the Reagan Library has done on defense, I feel 1533 01:21:48,760 --> 01:21:53,559 Speaker 2: like tr Library can do in conservation right, create a 1534 01:21:53,600 --> 01:21:57,519 Speaker 2: place of convening and civic conversation to bring people together 1535 01:21:57,960 --> 01:22:00,200 Speaker 2: to talk about these things, to have a I mean, 1536 01:22:00,240 --> 01:22:03,799 Speaker 2: every I've talked to so many different people of different 1537 01:22:03,840 --> 01:22:07,880 Speaker 2: political backgrounds, from different states and countries, rural, urban, you 1538 01:22:07,960 --> 01:22:10,519 Speaker 2: name it, and they all say kind of the same 1539 01:22:10,640 --> 01:22:15,160 Speaker 2: thing using different words. It's the words that put them 1540 01:22:15,160 --> 01:22:19,400 Speaker 2: in different camps or sides or parties. And I don't know, 1541 01:22:19,439 --> 01:22:21,599 Speaker 2: maybe it's naive, but that thought of like an independent 1542 01:22:21,760 --> 01:22:24,960 Speaker 2: just he's somebody that brings people together. 1543 01:22:28,200 --> 01:22:30,599 Speaker 1: She say that that Edith lived thirty years longer. 1544 01:22:30,920 --> 01:22:35,480 Speaker 2: Yes, he died thirty years look like for her fascinating 1545 01:22:36,439 --> 01:22:39,560 Speaker 2: because she never wanted to be at Sagamore Hill. On 1546 01:22:39,600 --> 01:22:44,320 Speaker 2: the anniversary of his death January sixth, she did. 1547 01:22:47,000 --> 01:22:48,400 Speaker 1: The original six Man. 1548 01:22:48,400 --> 01:22:50,439 Speaker 3: There's a lot of eerie parallels here. 1549 01:22:51,360 --> 01:22:53,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get that wrong in the future and make 1550 01:22:53,200 --> 01:22:54,639 Speaker 1: it seem more like you're. 1551 01:22:54,439 --> 01:22:58,120 Speaker 2: Gonna get You're gonna Kennedy Oswald like Lincoln. 1552 01:22:58,120 --> 01:23:00,040 Speaker 1: That thing you he booked. 1553 01:23:03,439 --> 01:23:07,120 Speaker 2: Driving in Dallas. There was a book depository. There's riots. 1554 01:23:07,120 --> 01:23:13,400 Speaker 2: It was crazy. She lived her best life. 1555 01:23:13,520 --> 01:23:14,160 Speaker 1: Was she public? 1556 01:23:15,040 --> 01:23:20,400 Speaker 2: She tried not to be. She would gather with you know, 1557 01:23:20,760 --> 01:23:22,400 Speaker 2: a lot of people would come up to Sagamore Hill, 1558 01:23:22,520 --> 01:23:27,120 Speaker 2: want to talk with her, want to remember tr She 1559 01:23:27,160 --> 01:23:29,599 Speaker 2: would go. She went on her own adventures. She wrote 1560 01:23:29,640 --> 01:23:33,679 Speaker 2: this fabulous book with Kerbitt, and her chapter is Odyssey 1561 01:23:33,720 --> 01:23:36,559 Speaker 2: of a Grandmother and she, I, Ca'm not gonna remember 1562 01:23:36,600 --> 01:23:39,439 Speaker 2: the I know right well, she but she kind of 1563 01:23:39,439 --> 01:23:40,840 Speaker 2: goes to that quote, like I love to see the 1564 01:23:40,920 --> 01:23:43,280 Speaker 2: little faces, but I prefer to see their backs. She 1565 01:23:43,400 --> 01:23:46,960 Speaker 2: traveled the world. She went to thirty forty different countries. 1566 01:23:48,040 --> 01:23:50,280 Speaker 2: She kind of became this global ambassador. 1567 01:23:50,800 --> 01:23:52,120 Speaker 1: She lived. 1568 01:23:52,160 --> 01:23:56,600 Speaker 2: She she it's interesting because she lived as long. You know, 1569 01:23:56,640 --> 01:23:59,160 Speaker 2: she knew him for fifty seven of his sixty years. 1570 01:23:59,200 --> 01:24:01,920 Speaker 2: They met when he was three years old and they 1571 01:24:01,920 --> 01:24:06,160 Speaker 2: were married for about thirty years. So she lived without 1572 01:24:06,280 --> 01:24:10,880 Speaker 2: him as long as they were married and kind of 1573 01:24:10,880 --> 01:24:14,800 Speaker 2: had this amazing life and adventure. She I mean a 1574 01:24:14,800 --> 01:24:17,639 Speaker 2: lot of sadness too. I mean Quentin, her youngest son, 1575 01:24:18,160 --> 01:24:20,880 Speaker 2: died in World War One. He's the only World War 1576 01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:26,120 Speaker 2: One soldier now buried at Normandy alongside his brother, Ted Junior, 1577 01:24:26,720 --> 01:24:29,759 Speaker 2: who died in World War Two. Kermit, as you mentioned, 1578 01:24:29,920 --> 01:24:32,400 Speaker 2: died by suicide. But they didn't tell her. They lied. 1579 01:24:32,520 --> 01:24:34,519 Speaker 2: They said, you know, he died of a heart attack 1580 01:24:34,680 --> 01:24:36,479 Speaker 2: because I didn't want I mean, so three of her 1581 01:24:36,520 --> 01:24:41,799 Speaker 2: sons died before she did. You know, she did endorse. 1582 01:24:41,840 --> 01:24:44,760 Speaker 2: So then you have Fdr who comes along in he 1583 01:24:44,840 --> 01:24:48,840 Speaker 2: runs for governor in New York. Then he runs for 1584 01:24:48,880 --> 01:24:53,400 Speaker 2: president in nineteen thirty two, and Edith comes out of 1585 01:24:54,160 --> 01:24:59,160 Speaker 2: her self imposed isolation and endorses Hoover. She and there's 1586 01:24:59,160 --> 01:25:03,160 Speaker 2: a big split in family. Connye yep, yep. So Bami 1587 01:25:03,200 --> 01:25:05,240 Speaker 2: had died by this point. She died in nineteen thirty one. 1588 01:25:05,320 --> 01:25:07,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. I was going to ask if they remained like operators, 1589 01:25:07,760 --> 01:25:10,880 Speaker 1: like political operators, or if that passion was just under 1590 01:25:11,360 --> 01:25:11,760 Speaker 1: There was. 1591 01:25:11,720 --> 01:25:16,559 Speaker 2: A really fascinating dynamic between Connie the younger sister and 1592 01:25:16,680 --> 01:25:20,679 Speaker 2: Ted Junior. So, I mean, imagine being Theodore Roosevelt junior, 1593 01:25:21,280 --> 01:25:25,840 Speaker 2: like almost impossible. But he has a remarkable life. I mean, 1594 01:25:25,880 --> 01:25:31,080 Speaker 2: he runs for governor and he is unsuccessful. He's taken 1595 01:25:31,120 --> 01:25:35,360 Speaker 2: down by the teapot Dome scandal, which it's involved the 1596 01:25:35,360 --> 01:25:37,960 Speaker 2: Department of Interiors speaking of conservation. It was base, I 1597 01:25:37,960 --> 01:25:41,960 Speaker 2: mean boiled down in its greatest simplicity. It was the 1598 01:25:42,000 --> 01:25:47,320 Speaker 2: Secretary of the Interior selling oil leases illegally, and Teapot 1599 01:25:47,320 --> 01:25:49,559 Speaker 2: Dome was a place in Wyoming that had oil leases, 1600 01:25:49,600 --> 01:25:51,960 Speaker 2: and he was doing it off the books, and somehow 1601 01:25:51,960 --> 01:25:54,560 Speaker 2: Ted Junior, even though he really didn't have anything to 1602 01:25:54,600 --> 01:25:58,080 Speaker 2: do with this, gets embroiled in the scandal. Eleanor Roosevelt 1603 01:25:58,160 --> 01:26:02,559 Speaker 2: campaigns against him. The Hyde Park and Oyster Bay branches 1604 01:26:02,600 --> 01:26:06,280 Speaker 2: of the family really begin to divide after the death 1605 01:26:06,320 --> 01:26:10,519 Speaker 2: of TR. FDR emulated tr loved him, I mean really 1606 01:26:10,560 --> 01:26:14,639 Speaker 2: modeled his whole career on his distant cousin. I mean, 1607 01:26:14,680 --> 01:26:17,200 Speaker 2: he was assistant Secretary of the Navy, He was governor 1608 01:26:17,240 --> 01:26:19,400 Speaker 2: of New York, He was in the New York State Assembly. 1609 01:26:19,479 --> 01:26:22,040 Speaker 2: He of course ran for president. I mean there's a 1610 01:26:22,080 --> 01:26:25,680 Speaker 2: direct line. He even FDR cast his first vote for 1611 01:26:25,720 --> 01:26:29,559 Speaker 2: president for tr in nineteen oh four. Yeah, and when 1612 01:26:29,560 --> 01:26:31,559 Speaker 2: he was asked, well, why you know, because he's a Democrat, 1613 01:26:31,560 --> 01:26:33,240 Speaker 2: why'd you vote for the Republican? And he said, well, 1614 01:26:33,240 --> 01:26:35,760 Speaker 2: I thought he made a better Democrat than the Republican. 1615 01:26:38,360 --> 01:26:39,760 Speaker 2: Pretty good, right, you kid. 1616 01:26:40,360 --> 01:26:40,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 1617 01:26:40,960 --> 01:26:45,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, So there's a split in the family. Connie really 1618 01:26:45,680 --> 01:26:49,800 Speaker 2: becomes a public figure. She's publishing books, she's giving speeches, 1619 01:26:50,000 --> 01:26:53,360 Speaker 2: she's she becomes the first woman to speak at the 1620 01:26:53,520 --> 01:26:57,719 Speaker 2: Republican National Convention. In nineteen twenty, a lot of people 1621 01:26:57,760 --> 01:27:02,839 Speaker 2: thought that Theodore Roosevelt was going to be the presidential nominee. 1622 01:27:02,840 --> 01:27:06,240 Speaker 2: He'd sort of made amends with the party. He said 1623 01:27:06,240 --> 01:27:09,400 Speaker 2: if he declined to run for governor of New York again, 1624 01:27:09,479 --> 01:27:11,519 Speaker 2: because he said, if I've got one last fight in me, 1625 01:27:12,000 --> 01:27:14,639 Speaker 2: it's going to be for the presidency. In nineteen twenty. 1626 01:27:15,120 --> 01:27:17,200 Speaker 2: I mean, he knew he was sick, and of course 1627 01:27:17,240 --> 01:27:19,840 Speaker 2: the family knew he was sick, but it was a 1628 01:27:19,960 --> 01:27:23,879 Speaker 2: stunner when he died. I mean, he was the leading 1629 01:27:23,920 --> 01:27:27,840 Speaker 2: candidate for the presidential nomination in the Republican Party when 1630 01:27:27,880 --> 01:27:30,840 Speaker 2: he died, and I mean so much so that they 1631 01:27:30,840 --> 01:27:35,080 Speaker 2: were trying to soften his support out West and running hits, running, 1632 01:27:35,120 --> 01:27:37,960 Speaker 2: you know, negative campaigns already on him, trying to make 1633 01:27:37,960 --> 01:27:43,040 Speaker 2: sure that he wouldn't succeed. You know, it's it's imagine 1634 01:27:43,040 --> 01:27:47,160 Speaker 2: what happens were he to live and win in nineteen twenty, 1635 01:27:47,360 --> 01:27:50,840 Speaker 2: you know, again, a whole different world. He gives us 1636 01:27:51,080 --> 01:27:53,719 Speaker 2: the last speech Theodore Roosevelt ever gave in his life 1637 01:27:53,760 --> 01:27:56,800 Speaker 2: is on November two, nineteen eighteen. It's at Carnegie Hall 1638 01:27:57,479 --> 01:28:00,320 Speaker 2: in front of a mixed race audience. W. E. Du 1639 01:28:00,360 --> 01:28:05,040 Speaker 2: Bois is on stage. The educator and Theodore Roosevelt says 1640 01:28:05,400 --> 01:28:11,840 Speaker 2: that he endorses equality amongst black and white and says 1641 01:28:12,320 --> 01:28:15,080 Speaker 2: justice with me is not a mere form of words. 1642 01:28:15,640 --> 01:28:18,920 Speaker 2: I mean, had he won in nineteen twenty, he was 1643 01:28:19,000 --> 01:28:22,240 Speaker 2: going to take aim at Jim Crow forty five years 1644 01:28:22,280 --> 01:28:25,439 Speaker 2: before the Civil Rights Act. I mean this progressive tarn Again. 1645 01:28:25,439 --> 01:28:28,719 Speaker 2: I don't mean it politically. I mean that he saw 1646 01:28:28,920 --> 01:28:33,840 Speaker 2: black soldiers fight alongside white soldiers in World War One, 1647 01:28:33,960 --> 01:28:37,800 Speaker 2: and it changed, he evolved, It changed his outlook. He 1648 01:28:37,880 --> 01:28:41,360 Speaker 2: was constantly like, what's next, What's the next battle? What 1649 01:28:41,439 --> 01:28:44,120 Speaker 2: do we as a country going to face? And he 1650 01:28:44,200 --> 01:28:47,360 Speaker 2: thought racism. I mean he was always anti peonage, he 1651 01:28:48,520 --> 01:28:50,639 Speaker 2: was anti lynching. He was very you know, he made 1652 01:28:50,640 --> 01:28:54,600 Speaker 2: some mistakes, some big mistakes. But the NAACP on his 1653 01:28:54,720 --> 01:28:58,760 Speaker 2: death ran an incredible memorial talking about how we have 1654 01:28:58,960 --> 01:29:01,600 Speaker 2: lost a friend. He was on the board of the 1655 01:29:01,640 --> 01:29:04,680 Speaker 2: Tuskegee Institute. He was on the board of Howard University. 1656 01:29:05,880 --> 01:29:08,000 Speaker 2: I mean you know, these are like things people don't 1657 01:29:08,000 --> 01:29:10,320 Speaker 2: even like, how do you But it's because he was 1658 01:29:10,439 --> 01:29:13,120 Speaker 2: so I don't know, He's like a man from the 1659 01:29:13,160 --> 01:29:15,960 Speaker 2: future sent back in time, you know, how he saw 1660 01:29:16,120 --> 01:29:17,600 Speaker 2: what our next battle was going to be. 1661 01:29:18,479 --> 01:29:21,040 Speaker 1: It's interesting. It's like during the height of the Wolkesters. 1662 01:29:21,120 --> 01:29:22,439 Speaker 1: I remember, like I sit on the board of the 1663 01:29:22,439 --> 01:29:25,240 Speaker 1: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and like at the height of 1664 01:29:25,280 --> 01:29:31,840 Speaker 1: the Wolkester's power, they were like pushing TRCP like disavow him. Yeah, 1665 01:29:32,000 --> 01:29:34,559 Speaker 1: what's interest when you get into what some of his 1666 01:29:34,640 --> 01:29:36,320 Speaker 1: stances were in the twenties. 1667 01:29:36,120 --> 01:29:38,960 Speaker 2: Well, I mean we took possession of the equestrian statue 1668 01:29:39,000 --> 01:29:43,360 Speaker 2: that stood outside of the Yeah. Yes, yes, it is 1669 01:29:43,360 --> 01:29:48,599 Speaker 2: a safe and secure location in North Dakota. It will well, 1670 01:29:48,680 --> 01:29:51,240 Speaker 2: it's the trick. It's it's one hundred and sixty eight 1671 01:29:51,280 --> 01:29:55,120 Speaker 2: thousand pounds sixteen feet yeah. Yeah, no, it's not an 1672 01:29:55,200 --> 01:29:58,799 Speaker 2: easy object to move. So by the time we took possession, 1673 01:29:58,840 --> 01:30:03,240 Speaker 2: our plans were well in motion. We will do something 1674 01:30:03,360 --> 01:30:05,639 Speaker 2: with it. We will have it on public display at something. 1675 01:30:05,720 --> 01:30:09,960 Speaker 2: But I think it's you're not the first person off 1676 01:30:09,960 --> 01:30:10,240 Speaker 2: for that. 1677 01:30:10,840 --> 01:30:13,640 Speaker 3: Just get a dolly, but a new haul shouldn't be 1678 01:30:13,680 --> 01:30:14,120 Speaker 3: a big deal. 1679 01:30:14,200 --> 01:30:16,679 Speaker 2: It was. That's kind of the quintessential example, though, Steve. 1680 01:30:16,720 --> 01:30:21,520 Speaker 2: It's excuse doctor Ranella. It is bronze, it's hollow bronze, 1681 01:30:21,680 --> 01:30:24,640 Speaker 2: and the pedestal is enormously heavy. I mean, that's a 1682 01:30:24,800 --> 01:30:28,479 Speaker 2: granite from Connecticut that's considered park side. 1683 01:30:28,520 --> 01:30:28,720 Speaker 1: Can't. 1684 01:30:29,800 --> 01:30:32,920 Speaker 2: I wish it were that simple, but but it's the I. 1685 01:30:33,120 --> 01:30:35,280 Speaker 2: But it's a quintessential. 1686 01:30:34,560 --> 01:30:38,400 Speaker 1: Example understanding of the complexity the wait. 1687 01:30:38,920 --> 01:30:42,439 Speaker 2: And it's bisected. It's actually so in order to move 1688 01:30:42,479 --> 01:30:44,400 Speaker 2: it out of the move it into the city in 1689 01:30:44,439 --> 01:30:49,160 Speaker 2: nineteen forty, it had to be bisected along the saddle. 1690 01:30:49,479 --> 01:30:49,920 Speaker 1: Let's say. 1691 01:30:50,560 --> 01:30:52,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so there's some pieces that need to pay. 1692 01:30:53,080 --> 01:30:55,160 Speaker 1: You don't even tell me the number. But hasn't been appraised. 1693 01:30:56,120 --> 01:30:58,519 Speaker 2: There was an appraisal, yes, before we was a come 1694 01:30:58,600 --> 01:31:05,519 Speaker 2: in it significant significant, yes, yes, not insignificant, but it was. 1695 01:31:05,680 --> 01:31:09,760 Speaker 2: It's a perfect example of what you're talking about. Right. 1696 01:31:09,840 --> 01:31:15,920 Speaker 2: So Theodore Roosevelt dies in nineteen nineteen that there's a 1697 01:31:16,160 --> 01:31:20,200 Speaker 2: there's a fierce competition between Albany and New York City 1698 01:31:20,400 --> 01:31:22,639 Speaker 2: to be the site of the official New York State 1699 01:31:22,720 --> 01:31:27,120 Speaker 2: Memorial to tr and by this time there is a 1700 01:31:27,920 --> 01:31:31,120 Speaker 2: undoubtedly racist head of the American Museum of Natural History. 1701 01:31:31,240 --> 01:31:34,759 Speaker 2: I mean he's he is working with Addison Grant, who's 1702 01:31:34,800 --> 01:31:39,519 Speaker 2: talking about, you know, the theories that will eventually inform Hitler. 1703 01:31:39,600 --> 01:31:42,000 Speaker 1: And it's not it's not talking about our buddy Horna Day, 1704 01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:42,240 Speaker 1: are you. 1705 01:31:42,320 --> 01:31:44,400 Speaker 2: No, No, no, no, I'm not talking about Horna Day. No. No, no, no, 1706 01:31:44,400 --> 01:31:46,320 Speaker 2: not horna Day. No Horna Day. There's a great book 1707 01:31:46,360 --> 01:31:48,360 Speaker 2: by Darren Lunde since there body. 1708 01:31:48,040 --> 01:31:50,160 Speaker 1: But no no, but Horneay did have a couple of 1709 01:31:50,200 --> 01:31:53,080 Speaker 1: little well it's odd thoughts, not like this. 1710 01:31:53,080 --> 01:31:57,920 Speaker 2: This was yeah, this was like convening people to talk 1711 01:31:57,960 --> 01:32:04,559 Speaker 2: about racial hierarchy in right. And so he pitches the 1712 01:32:04,640 --> 01:32:09,120 Speaker 2: idea that the front entrance, this new entrance builds, build 1713 01:32:09,160 --> 01:32:10,920 Speaker 2: a new entrance. If you've been to the American Museum 1714 01:32:10,920 --> 01:32:12,639 Speaker 2: of Natural History in New York, you know the entrance 1715 01:32:12,720 --> 01:32:16,680 Speaker 2: is on seventy seventy seventh, right, So if you go, 1716 01:32:16,720 --> 01:32:19,320 Speaker 2: there's an old entrance that's been there forever. And the 1717 01:32:19,400 --> 01:32:22,400 Speaker 2: pitch was, let's make a new entrance on Central Park West. 1718 01:32:23,080 --> 01:32:26,519 Speaker 2: This and it is it's Boone and Crockett and the 1719 01:32:26,560 --> 01:32:29,400 Speaker 2: other's four figures up top. There's quotes from tr there's 1720 01:32:29,479 --> 01:32:33,280 Speaker 2: quotes on nature and conservation. The family's very involved in this. 1721 01:32:33,520 --> 01:32:37,040 Speaker 2: They win the competition to basically make the American Museum 1722 01:32:37,040 --> 01:32:40,920 Speaker 2: in Natural History the New York State Memorial to Theodore Roosevelt. 1723 01:32:40,920 --> 01:32:43,439 Speaker 2: And what's fascinating about it is when they're working with 1724 01:32:43,479 --> 01:32:47,000 Speaker 2: their family, Bammy, Connie and Edith, in particular, what do 1725 01:32:47,040 --> 01:32:49,080 Speaker 2: you want to be remembered. We want to remember him 1726 01:32:49,080 --> 01:32:51,800 Speaker 2: as a naturalist, we want to remember as a conservationist, 1727 01:32:52,200 --> 01:32:54,800 Speaker 2: and we want this entire memorial to reflect who his 1728 01:32:55,080 --> 01:32:59,839 Speaker 2: heroes were. So you know it's Boone, Crockett, Lewis and Clark. 1729 01:33:01,160 --> 01:33:03,120 Speaker 2: Yeah he's up, I mean, way up on the top. 1730 01:33:03,200 --> 01:33:06,360 Speaker 2: You really got But this is what slave owner well 1731 01:33:06,479 --> 01:33:10,439 Speaker 2: I mean. So then later the president of A M 1732 01:33:10,520 --> 01:33:13,679 Speaker 2: and H says, let's I want We're going to commission 1733 01:33:13,680 --> 01:33:18,160 Speaker 2: this statue. Theodore Roosevelt explicitly said statues do not test 1734 01:33:18,479 --> 01:33:20,439 Speaker 2: last the test of time. If there's one thing I 1735 01:33:20,479 --> 01:33:23,640 Speaker 2: don't want, it's a statue of myself. I mean, one 1736 01:33:23,640 --> 01:33:26,600 Speaker 2: of the few things he didn't want of all the 1737 01:33:26,640 --> 01:33:29,160 Speaker 2: honors that he got. And so it's not. 1738 01:33:29,439 --> 01:33:31,240 Speaker 1: Can't mean that it doesn't live the test of time. 1739 01:33:31,439 --> 01:33:35,120 Speaker 2: Exactly what happened. I mean that sometime, at some point 1740 01:33:35,160 --> 01:33:38,280 Speaker 2: in the future, there's going to be an interpretation that 1741 01:33:38,320 --> 01:33:42,200 Speaker 2: doesn't meet the intent of it, of a its original creation. 1742 01:33:42,880 --> 01:33:44,200 Speaker 1: And that's what he was getting at. 1743 01:33:44,400 --> 01:33:48,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, his that his legacy would be intertwined with something 1744 01:33:48,760 --> 01:33:52,120 Speaker 2: that he never had any part of. And that's true. 1745 01:33:52,360 --> 01:33:55,960 Speaker 2: I mean, that's what happened. That's what I find like again, 1746 01:33:56,040 --> 01:33:58,439 Speaker 2: he's like a man from the future sent back in 1747 01:33:58,560 --> 01:34:01,599 Speaker 2: time to say, don't do this or this is what 1748 01:34:01,640 --> 01:34:05,360 Speaker 2: the next fight will be. I mean it's eerie when 1749 01:34:05,400 --> 01:34:08,120 Speaker 2: you think of I mean, you know, nineteen oh seven, 1750 01:34:08,240 --> 01:34:11,360 Speaker 2: the economy collapses, he works with JP Morgan to create 1751 01:34:11,400 --> 01:34:14,960 Speaker 2: what will become the FED. Football is in danger. He 1752 01:34:15,160 --> 01:34:17,920 Speaker 2: calls the presidents of elite universities to the White House. 1753 01:34:18,040 --> 01:34:20,840 Speaker 2: They create what becomes the NCAA and save the game 1754 01:34:20,840 --> 01:34:24,320 Speaker 2: of football. You know, meat packing and meat inspecting are 1755 01:34:24,479 --> 01:34:28,759 Speaker 2: killing people. He's the one who's reading Upton, Sinclair and others, 1756 01:34:28,800 --> 01:34:36,839 Speaker 2: and he creates the FDA, right, I meant. 1757 01:34:34,680 --> 01:34:35,880 Speaker 1: Shore Bird Yep. 1758 01:34:36,520 --> 01:34:39,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, he creates Pelican Island, creates Pelican Island. You'll love. 1759 01:34:39,840 --> 01:34:43,280 Speaker 2: In the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, there's a special section 1760 01:34:43,400 --> 01:34:46,439 Speaker 2: in the presidency on his conservation legacy, and it talks about, 1761 01:34:46,720 --> 01:34:48,640 Speaker 2: you know, of course the land and the waters and 1762 01:34:48,640 --> 01:34:52,639 Speaker 2: the irrigation projects and everything. But there is a statue, 1763 01:34:52,680 --> 01:34:55,200 Speaker 2: a bronze statue that we are creating of tr and 1764 01:34:55,240 --> 01:34:58,000 Speaker 2: it's a recreation of the famous image of him with 1765 01:34:58,080 --> 01:35:00,920 Speaker 2: his hand on the globe. And then and we have 1766 01:35:00,920 --> 01:35:01,439 Speaker 2: a pelican. 1767 01:35:01,520 --> 01:35:04,639 Speaker 3: But he said statues, I know, but we cheated. 1768 01:35:04,680 --> 01:35:08,080 Speaker 2: We're gonna but we put we we did one that 1769 01:35:08,200 --> 01:35:11,280 Speaker 2: is a recreation of his of a photo. And then 1770 01:35:11,400 --> 01:35:14,839 Speaker 2: I think the grace note here is the pelican, because 1771 01:35:14,960 --> 01:35:17,160 Speaker 2: you know, if you know, you know, and if you don't, 1772 01:35:17,520 --> 01:35:19,000 Speaker 2: that's pretty good. And then it'll be kind of a 1773 01:35:19,240 --> 01:35:21,240 Speaker 2: cool to see who discovers. 1774 01:35:20,760 --> 01:35:22,920 Speaker 1: That you're you're literary man, you might know the answer 1775 01:35:22,920 --> 01:35:26,559 Speaker 1: to this. What was Philip Roth's novel? Was it the 1776 01:35:26,560 --> 01:35:29,439 Speaker 1: Plot against America? Does he do a novel where he 1777 01:35:29,760 --> 01:35:32,240 Speaker 1: imagines that Charles Lindberg wins? 1778 01:35:33,560 --> 01:35:37,599 Speaker 2: Charlesberg is so popular he runs in nineteen forty and wins, 1779 01:35:37,680 --> 01:35:41,559 Speaker 2: and basically sympathizer basically says, let's make peace with Germany, 1780 01:35:41,680 --> 01:35:42,720 Speaker 2: let them take what they like. 1781 01:35:42,840 --> 01:35:45,280 Speaker 1: And that's the plot against America. Yes, yeah, there should 1782 01:35:45,280 --> 01:35:47,960 Speaker 1: be there should be a novel. There should be a 1783 01:35:48,000 --> 01:35:52,320 Speaker 1: novel that that Theodore Roosevelt wins in nineteen twenty at fabulous. 1784 01:35:52,479 --> 01:35:55,559 Speaker 2: Right, it's a it's you know, he he was tired. 1785 01:35:55,600 --> 01:35:57,599 Speaker 1: He would be like a real happiness cut this out. 1786 01:35:57,720 --> 01:35:57,880 Speaker 1: You know. 1787 01:35:59,240 --> 01:36:02,479 Speaker 2: It was a strenuous life. Yeah, it was just you know, 1788 01:36:02,600 --> 01:36:04,880 Speaker 2: I don't think he had the fight and the energy 1789 01:36:05,120 --> 01:36:08,559 Speaker 2: left in him, obviously since he was very close to death. 1790 01:36:08,600 --> 01:36:12,799 Speaker 2: But it is pretty extraordinary to wonder what would have happened. 1791 01:36:12,840 --> 01:36:15,160 Speaker 2: I mean that that's the tr that I know. I mean, 1792 01:36:15,160 --> 01:36:18,640 Speaker 2: that's in the loves of Theodore Roosevelt. I'm discovering this 1793 01:36:18,720 --> 01:36:22,160 Speaker 2: person that had great instincts and could make mistakes. But 1794 01:36:22,680 --> 01:36:26,320 Speaker 2: the real takeaway from me was, if we are all 1795 01:36:26,400 --> 01:36:30,200 Speaker 2: fortunate in life, we have mother, a brother, a sister, 1796 01:36:30,320 --> 01:36:34,600 Speaker 2: a friend, a colleague, somebody who picks us up and 1797 01:36:34,720 --> 01:36:38,240 Speaker 2: pushes us forward when we're really down, and. 1798 01:36:38,240 --> 01:36:40,080 Speaker 1: Well I have someone that kicks me forward. 1799 01:36:40,160 --> 01:36:43,600 Speaker 2: Well that's what you need sometimes, right, and tr was 1800 01:36:43,640 --> 01:36:45,839 Speaker 2: no different. I mean, he's up there on Mount Rushmore. 1801 01:36:46,160 --> 01:36:51,320 Speaker 2: He seems kind of, I don't know, inaccessible. He's larger 1802 01:36:51,360 --> 01:36:56,400 Speaker 2: than life. Can't you can't meet these feats of strength 1803 01:36:56,520 --> 01:37:03,960 Speaker 2: and adventure and accomplish And I think what I appreciated 1804 01:37:04,000 --> 01:37:07,320 Speaker 2: in doing this research and building this library is that 1805 01:37:07,360 --> 01:37:09,920 Speaker 2: he's he's a little more like all of us than 1806 01:37:09,920 --> 01:37:13,360 Speaker 2: we realized. And maybe that's a good thing. It makes 1807 01:37:13,400 --> 01:37:16,680 Speaker 2: you think you can do that too. You know, he 1808 01:37:16,760 --> 01:37:21,519 Speaker 2: had struggles, he had pain, he had setbacks, and there 1809 01:37:21,600 --> 01:37:24,320 Speaker 2: was an infrastructure. There were people there to keep him 1810 01:37:24,360 --> 01:37:27,679 Speaker 2: moving and make the right decisions and keep fighting for 1811 01:37:27,760 --> 01:37:31,439 Speaker 2: what he saw as right in the world. And you know, 1812 01:37:31,520 --> 01:37:35,640 Speaker 2: that's what I think the ultimate lesson. He never deferred 1813 01:37:35,760 --> 01:37:39,400 Speaker 2: a problem to tomorrow. Right. He talks about this, especially 1814 01:37:39,479 --> 01:37:42,400 Speaker 2: with regard to conservation. This is for our children and 1815 01:37:42,479 --> 01:37:47,320 Speaker 2: our children's children, for all those who will come after us. Well, 1816 01:37:47,640 --> 01:37:49,680 Speaker 2: there are a lot of problems that we're kicking the 1817 01:37:49,720 --> 01:37:54,120 Speaker 2: can down the road on in America today. And I think, 1818 01:37:55,040 --> 01:37:57,000 Speaker 2: what if you can take one lesson from this person 1819 01:37:57,000 --> 01:38:00,360 Speaker 2: who attracts Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, it's that you 1820 01:38:00,439 --> 01:38:03,559 Speaker 2: got to sit down and deal with the problems that 1821 01:38:03,560 --> 01:38:05,639 Speaker 2: are in front of you, or they are just going 1822 01:38:05,680 --> 01:38:10,200 Speaker 2: to reverberate through the generations. It's one of the big 1823 01:38:10,280 --> 01:38:11,000 Speaker 2: lessons of his life. 1824 01:38:11,680 --> 01:38:13,479 Speaker 1: Man you're the right man for the job to run 1825 01:38:13,520 --> 01:38:16,800 Speaker 1: that library. Hope, though, give you a chance to have 1826 01:38:16,880 --> 01:38:18,439 Speaker 1: like you know, when you walk around there's like an 1827 01:38:18,479 --> 01:38:20,439 Speaker 1: old man like doing interpretive stuff. 1828 01:38:21,120 --> 01:38:24,960 Speaker 2: That's my future. 1829 01:38:25,280 --> 01:38:29,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, like dress up like TV, you're like wander around. 1830 01:38:28,640 --> 01:38:33,600 Speaker 2: And the story about nineteen round, he's unbelievable. 1831 01:38:34,120 --> 01:38:38,160 Speaker 4: Talk to Manella about its way back in six if 1832 01:38:38,200 --> 01:38:43,360 Speaker 4: you just wanted by President Manella, whoa, I saw it 1833 01:38:43,400 --> 01:38:44,280 Speaker 4: coming before you did. 1834 01:38:46,200 --> 01:38:49,280 Speaker 1: Man, Yeah, what but like U in all seriousness, man, 1835 01:38:49,280 --> 01:38:54,559 Speaker 1: what a situation you landed and like you know, I mean, 1836 01:38:54,600 --> 01:38:56,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean to have the book and 1837 01:38:57,000 --> 01:39:00,920 Speaker 1: to have the position and just be like all that and. 1838 01:39:00,920 --> 01:39:06,160 Speaker 2: The moment, the moment, I think I didn't necessarily anticipate, No, 1839 01:39:06,200 --> 01:39:10,400 Speaker 2: but I mean it's yeah. I mean I think we 1840 01:39:10,439 --> 01:39:13,000 Speaker 2: could all use a little more tr right now. 1841 01:39:14,160 --> 01:39:15,679 Speaker 1: You're given to you're bringing it right now, You're. 1842 01:39:15,560 --> 01:39:17,800 Speaker 2: Going to bring it, and I think the nation needs it. 1843 01:39:17,800 --> 01:39:20,479 Speaker 2: I think the world needs it needs reminding of you know, 1844 01:39:20,840 --> 01:39:22,800 Speaker 2: do what you can with what you have where you are. 1845 01:39:22,960 --> 01:39:25,720 Speaker 2: You know, it's a person is the best thing you 1846 01:39:25,720 --> 01:39:27,320 Speaker 2: can you know, in a moment of decision, the best 1847 01:39:27,320 --> 01:39:29,000 Speaker 2: thing you can do is make the right decision, the 1848 01:39:29,040 --> 01:39:30,880 Speaker 2: next best thing is the wrong decision, and the worst 1849 01:39:30,880 --> 01:39:34,400 Speaker 2: thing is nothing like again and again, his philosophy just 1850 01:39:34,520 --> 01:39:38,120 Speaker 2: reverberates in a way in the arena. I mean, one 1851 01:39:38,120 --> 01:39:40,880 Speaker 2: of the special experiences of the TR Library is going 1852 01:39:40,960 --> 01:39:45,679 Speaker 2: to be surrounded by that incredible paragraph in the arena speech. 1853 01:39:46,080 --> 01:39:47,960 Speaker 2: You know, it is not the critic who counts. And 1854 01:39:48,920 --> 01:39:53,400 Speaker 2: it's fifteen feet tall, it's nine feet you know, it's 1855 01:39:53,720 --> 01:39:57,439 Speaker 2: nine feet high. It's We're going to have different voices 1856 01:39:57,560 --> 01:39:59,920 Speaker 2: different you know, one time you walk in it'll be 1857 01:40:00,400 --> 01:40:02,720 Speaker 2: President Clinton or Bush, and the next time you walk 1858 01:40:02,760 --> 01:40:06,120 Speaker 2: in it'll be you know, Leonardo DiCaprio or Lebron James. 1859 01:40:06,200 --> 01:40:09,000 Speaker 2: And and the whole idea is that you know, you 1860 01:40:09,160 --> 01:40:11,960 Speaker 2: then are asked, what what do you want to dare 1861 01:40:12,000 --> 01:40:14,639 Speaker 2: greatly to do in this life? You know, this one 1862 01:40:14,760 --> 01:40:17,240 Speaker 2: chance that you have to make a difference in the world, 1863 01:40:17,720 --> 01:40:21,320 Speaker 2: What do you care enough about to commit to action. 1864 01:40:22,120 --> 01:40:25,400 Speaker 2: So I've always thought that, you know, the past really 1865 01:40:25,439 --> 01:40:28,600 Speaker 2: teaches you about the present in order to make a 1866 01:40:28,600 --> 01:40:31,800 Speaker 2: better future. And so if we can look back to 1867 01:40:31,960 --> 01:40:35,080 Speaker 2: t R and understand a little something about our world 1868 01:40:35,800 --> 01:40:40,040 Speaker 2: and maybe just maybe bond together and make something better, 1869 01:40:40,120 --> 01:40:41,720 Speaker 2: then this will all have been worth it. 1870 01:40:42,160 --> 01:40:44,640 Speaker 1: You know, this is really inspiring too, because like me 1871 01:40:44,680 --> 01:40:47,559 Speaker 1: and Randall have been really struggling with whether we want 1872 01:40:47,560 --> 01:40:49,360 Speaker 1: to take on the task trying to learn how to 1873 01:40:49,400 --> 01:40:52,759 Speaker 1: make gas station hot dogs and deer meat, and sometimes 1874 01:40:52,760 --> 01:40:54,680 Speaker 1: it seems too daunting and they're going to do it. 1875 01:40:54,720 --> 01:40:58,040 Speaker 1: But after you're hearing this, now be the difference. 1876 01:40:58,280 --> 01:40:58,679 Speaker 2: In the world. 1877 01:40:59,200 --> 01:41:00,400 Speaker 1: You want the. 1878 01:41:02,160 --> 01:41:07,519 Speaker 2: Area you know, past six years just came to full fruition. Yeah, 1879 01:41:08,120 --> 01:41:10,320 Speaker 2: that you can get deer meat, hot dogs and gas 1880 01:41:10,320 --> 01:41:14,599 Speaker 2: stations is It's not what I envisioned in twenty nineteen, 1881 01:41:14,640 --> 01:41:15,200 Speaker 2: But here we are. 1882 01:41:15,680 --> 01:41:17,800 Speaker 1: Someday when we figured that recipe out, you'll be able 1883 01:41:17,800 --> 01:41:20,960 Speaker 1: to be like me. I make that happen. We have 1884 01:41:21,000 --> 01:41:23,880 Speaker 1: a Wyoming based company who is going to send us 1885 01:41:23,880 --> 01:41:30,840 Speaker 1: a SAM I guess we can just kick it. 1886 01:41:34,920 --> 01:41:37,519 Speaker 3: Aspired they were inspired by your show. 1887 01:41:37,720 --> 01:41:42,040 Speaker 1: Turns out there's already someone in the arena. It's not 1888 01:41:42,080 --> 01:41:44,759 Speaker 1: on the market, it's just for us. 1889 01:41:44,800 --> 01:41:45,759 Speaker 3: They're fans of the show. 1890 01:41:45,880 --> 01:41:48,479 Speaker 1: So are you going to be there? I mean you'll 1891 01:41:48,520 --> 01:41:50,599 Speaker 1: obviously be present for the grand opening. I'm thinking about 1892 01:41:50,600 --> 01:41:52,120 Speaker 1: head of the grand What. 1893 01:41:52,120 --> 01:41:54,240 Speaker 3: Does the grand opening look like? Is there like a 1894 01:41:54,240 --> 01:41:56,840 Speaker 3: week of activity. 1895 01:41:56,360 --> 01:41:57,760 Speaker 2: I mean, should stay? 1896 01:41:57,760 --> 01:41:59,320 Speaker 3: Should people put it on their calendar. 1897 01:41:59,439 --> 01:42:02,639 Speaker 2: Well, we we have invited all living presidents to join 1898 01:42:02,720 --> 01:42:05,040 Speaker 2: us at the grand opening room. If they all join us, 1899 01:42:05,040 --> 01:42:11,800 Speaker 2: we won't need fireworks, So that'll be fun, we we. Well, 1900 01:42:11,920 --> 01:42:19,760 Speaker 2: let's see, we've got Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden. This is 1901 01:42:19,800 --> 01:42:21,519 Speaker 2: four and then the current president five. 1902 01:42:22,439 --> 01:42:24,559 Speaker 1: What's a normal amount of living presidents? 1903 01:42:24,640 --> 01:42:27,360 Speaker 2: That's about I think I feel like that's about what 1904 01:42:27,400 --> 01:42:27,720 Speaker 2: it is. 1905 01:42:27,760 --> 01:42:32,559 Speaker 1: It's five. Just a great a year every year going 1906 01:42:32,600 --> 01:42:36,200 Speaker 1: back to the beginning, and how many we're alive at 1907 01:42:36,200 --> 01:42:36,559 Speaker 1: that time. 1908 01:42:36,600 --> 01:42:40,240 Speaker 2: Okay, so we can blow the Washington zero yep. 1909 01:42:40,080 --> 01:42:42,160 Speaker 1: And then he'd be like, you know, on down the line. 1910 01:42:42,000 --> 01:42:44,439 Speaker 2: Yep, nobody came to his party. He was the only 1911 01:42:45,160 --> 01:42:50,720 Speaker 2: invited all the presidents, and we're all here, yeah here, 1912 01:42:50,760 --> 01:42:56,400 Speaker 2: since you, since you clearly assassination conspiracy line, Every president 1913 01:42:56,600 --> 01:43:01,639 Speaker 2: from eighteen forty until Reagan in nineteen eighty either died 1914 01:43:01,720 --> 01:43:05,640 Speaker 2: or was killed in office every twenty years. Again, so 1915 01:43:05,680 --> 01:43:10,960 Speaker 2: every twenty years from eighteen forty to nineteen eighty, the 1916 01:43:11,000 --> 01:43:14,439 Speaker 2: president died or was killed in office. So eighteen forty, 1917 01:43:14,479 --> 01:43:19,439 Speaker 2: eighteen sixty, eighteen eighty, nineteen hundred nineteen twenty, nineteen forty, 1918 01:43:19,920 --> 01:43:23,639 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty. Yeah, and Reagan was shot but did not die. 1919 01:43:23,920 --> 01:43:25,519 Speaker 1: So you a curse. I'm going to hit you with 1920 01:43:25,520 --> 01:43:26,040 Speaker 1: a weird one. 1921 01:43:26,120 --> 01:43:26,439 Speaker 2: Okay. 1922 01:43:27,080 --> 01:43:29,760 Speaker 1: I saw into the writer Selena Zito, she just wrote 1923 01:43:29,800 --> 01:43:33,120 Speaker 1: that book. Butler, Yeah, bought the assassination attempt on Trump. 1924 01:43:33,360 --> 01:43:36,160 Speaker 1: She was like, we're talking and she said, he's not 1925 01:43:36,280 --> 01:43:39,800 Speaker 1: the first president to be shot in. 1926 01:43:39,800 --> 01:43:43,320 Speaker 2: Butler, Oh what seriously? 1927 01:43:43,640 --> 01:43:46,840 Speaker 1: Well, during the French like in the sort of like 1928 01:43:47,000 --> 01:43:50,920 Speaker 1: out like in the complications of the French Indian War, 1929 01:43:51,439 --> 01:43:58,759 Speaker 1: George Washington as a British rw military guy. 1930 01:43:57,800 --> 01:43:59,680 Speaker 2: Right, he was shot there. He was shot like right 1931 01:44:00,080 --> 01:44:04,040 Speaker 2: that county. I would not have put that together to 1932 01:44:04,080 --> 01:44:07,280 Speaker 2: get that one. And I believe, like you could the 1933 01:44:07,280 --> 01:44:09,519 Speaker 2: clothes that he was wearing, you could see where the 1934 01:44:09,560 --> 01:44:12,360 Speaker 2: bullets went through. I think that they were preserved. And 1935 01:44:12,360 --> 01:44:14,760 Speaker 2: there's a crazy story about like just how close he 1936 01:44:14,800 --> 01:44:15,679 Speaker 2: came to being killed. 1937 01:44:15,720 --> 01:44:17,479 Speaker 1: That was in that county. They had had a meeting. 1938 01:44:17,520 --> 01:44:20,040 Speaker 1: We'd come in and try to tell the French what's up, yep, 1939 01:44:20,479 --> 01:44:24,360 Speaker 1: And they had a little meeting and then they take 1940 01:44:24,439 --> 01:44:26,559 Speaker 1: off and they sent an assassin in his wake. I 1941 01:44:26,560 --> 01:44:28,320 Speaker 1: think I could be screwing it up. They sent an 1942 01:44:28,320 --> 01:44:30,040 Speaker 1: assassin in his waight to go take a pot shot 1943 01:44:30,080 --> 01:44:32,679 Speaker 1: at him. Yeah, yeah, I think it's how it went. 1944 01:44:32,840 --> 01:44:35,679 Speaker 2: And that was the county coming up for that. That's crazy. 1945 01:44:36,200 --> 01:44:38,280 Speaker 1: So it was bad. Where's everybody where? The hell's everybody in? 1946 01:44:38,400 --> 01:44:40,759 Speaker 1: Stay well, because you guys are in the middle of nowhere. 1947 01:44:40,960 --> 01:44:42,640 Speaker 2: We're in the middle of everywhere, Steve, I don't need 1948 01:44:42,680 --> 01:44:48,080 Speaker 2: to tell you center of North America. 1949 01:44:49,640 --> 01:44:51,880 Speaker 1: It's gorgeous. That wasn't meaning it as a hit, but 1950 01:44:51,920 --> 01:44:54,439 Speaker 1: there's just not like a huge there's not a huge 1951 01:44:54,560 --> 01:44:56,320 Speaker 1: urban area with thirty hotels. 1952 01:44:56,640 --> 01:45:00,839 Speaker 2: So there are seven hundred hotel rooms in the itself, 1953 01:45:01,320 --> 01:45:03,720 Speaker 2: and then in Dickinson, thirty miles away, there are over 1954 01:45:03,760 --> 01:45:08,320 Speaker 2: three thousand. And there's camping, RV's and clamping and all 1955 01:45:08,360 --> 01:45:12,559 Speaker 2: the things that have now become very commonplace around. Well, 1956 01:45:13,200 --> 01:45:15,240 Speaker 2: we're going to hit a max for sure. I mean, 1957 01:45:15,360 --> 01:45:18,880 Speaker 2: so if the President visits, likely to be early in 1958 01:45:18,920 --> 01:45:22,960 Speaker 2: that that week of festivities, then we hope to have 1959 01:45:23,080 --> 01:45:25,519 Speaker 2: a couple of days where we're really focused on a 1960 01:45:25,520 --> 01:45:27,559 Speaker 2: lot of the people that have made this possible. I mean, 1961 01:45:27,600 --> 01:45:29,439 Speaker 2: four hundred million dollars raise, we've got a lot of 1962 01:45:29,479 --> 01:45:32,840 Speaker 2: benefactors we want to honor, and we hope that July 1963 01:45:32,920 --> 01:45:36,120 Speaker 2: fourth will really be an incredible celebration, a community day. 1964 01:45:36,400 --> 01:45:38,200 Speaker 2: You know, we want as many people as we can 1965 01:45:38,280 --> 01:45:40,200 Speaker 2: to get up and see the site and see the museum. 1966 01:45:40,479 --> 01:45:44,400 Speaker 2: It's going to be pragmatically challenging, logistically challenging, but we're 1967 01:45:44,439 --> 01:45:44,960 Speaker 2: going to do we can. 1968 01:45:45,080 --> 01:45:47,280 Speaker 1: We also, I think I want to take my kids 1969 01:45:47,280 --> 01:45:48,799 Speaker 1: out there. I think I'm oh, yeah, man. 1970 01:45:48,920 --> 01:45:52,519 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's fabulous. It's if not for the opening, 1971 01:45:52,560 --> 01:45:55,960 Speaker 2: then shortly thereafter because it's a great place to get 1972 01:45:56,000 --> 01:45:57,679 Speaker 2: out into the National Park. 1973 01:45:58,280 --> 01:46:00,200 Speaker 1: You guys can touch off a couple of fireworks. 1974 01:45:59,840 --> 01:46:02,120 Speaker 2: On So we are going to do a drone show. 1975 01:46:02,520 --> 01:46:05,479 Speaker 2: We've got so that the folks that did I don't 1976 01:46:05,479 --> 01:46:08,800 Speaker 2: know if you saw this Grace for the World on Hulu. 1977 01:46:08,920 --> 01:46:13,120 Speaker 2: They did an amazing concert and then above the Vatican 1978 01:46:13,600 --> 01:46:17,000 Speaker 2: they recreated Leonardo da Vici's works as well as several 1979 01:46:17,880 --> 01:46:23,320 Speaker 2: images in drones. It's stunning, Yeah, stunning, stunning. So we're 1980 01:46:23,320 --> 01:46:27,679 Speaker 2: going to do like a fourteen to eighteen minute life 1981 01:46:27,680 --> 01:46:30,840 Speaker 2: of Theodore Roosevelt in the sky as a drone story. 1982 01:46:31,600 --> 01:46:34,160 Speaker 2: Really well, yeah, because in part we don't want to 1983 01:46:34,160 --> 01:46:35,759 Speaker 2: burn down the building that we just built. 1984 01:46:36,280 --> 01:46:39,160 Speaker 3: But July July and then. 1985 01:46:39,800 --> 01:46:49,240 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't need to. Let's see what happens. Hey, 1986 01:46:49,280 --> 01:46:52,040 Speaker 2: we get to do it all again. Maybe we'll inspire 1987 01:46:52,080 --> 01:46:54,360 Speaker 2: another deer meat discovery. 1988 01:46:55,960 --> 01:46:57,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I do want to go to that. I mean, 1989 01:46:57,360 --> 01:46:59,120 Speaker 1: I've been kicking around going too. I hadn't thought about 1990 01:46:59,120 --> 01:47:01,400 Speaker 1: the possibility. Bring them kids, prob go over. Reserve me 1991 01:47:01,439 --> 01:47:02,160 Speaker 1: a hotel room. 1992 01:47:02,280 --> 01:47:04,519 Speaker 2: Man, you know a guy. We can help you out, 1993 01:47:04,720 --> 01:47:09,320 Speaker 2: Doctor Rinella. We'll make it happen. I'll sleep in broom closets. 1994 01:47:11,160 --> 01:47:12,360 Speaker 1: Man. That was great having you on. 1995 01:47:12,720 --> 01:47:15,000 Speaker 2: That's wonderful to be with you. Thanks for all you do. 1996 01:47:15,280 --> 01:47:17,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're good. You're a good kind of guest where 1997 01:47:17,080 --> 01:47:19,280 Speaker 1: you just kind of know the story in and out. 1998 01:47:19,360 --> 01:47:22,840 Speaker 2: Due, Well, I've been living it for six years, so 1999 01:47:23,200 --> 01:47:25,360 Speaker 2: you know, it's just you. I gotta I gotta warn 2000 01:47:25,400 --> 01:47:27,479 Speaker 2: your listeners out there. They go down the tr rabbit hole. 2001 01:47:27,520 --> 01:47:28,720 Speaker 2: It's very hard to get back out. 2002 01:47:28,880 --> 01:47:29,519 Speaker 1: It's a deep pit. 2003 01:47:29,640 --> 01:47:31,599 Speaker 2: It's deep. It's a deep one. 2004 01:47:32,080 --> 01:47:35,960 Speaker 1: Well again, everybody, the lives of Theodore Roosevelt, the women, 2005 01:47:36,080 --> 01:47:40,200 Speaker 1: the loves. What am I saying? The look like I 2006 01:47:40,720 --> 01:47:44,879 Speaker 1: had like an in arguably you know fast the loves 2007 01:47:44,920 --> 01:47:49,400 Speaker 1: of Theodore Roosevelt, the women who created a president Edward 2008 01:47:49,560 --> 01:47:55,040 Speaker 1: O'Keefe Ryder, and what is the president CEO CEO of 2009 01:47:55,160 --> 01:48:01,400 Speaker 1: the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening soon. Thanks for coming 2010 01:48:01,400 --> 01:48:03,400 Speaker 1: on man, great to be with you. Great appreciate it. 2011 01:48:03,439 --> 01:48:04,000 Speaker 2: Thanks so much,